Holding My Last Breath
by Eladriewen
Summary: Harry is forced into hiding. When news comes that he has been captured by Death Eaters, Sirius Black runs to find his godson. What will become of the Wizarding World, and the Order? Better intro on 1st page.*FINISHED*
1. Return to Grimmauld Place

**__**

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Yes, I've gotten another Harry Potter story up. Or working on one, anyway. What with recent knowledge given to me after the 5th book's new release, I've decided that I'd try my wings with another story featuring the world's favorite wizard. 

Here we find Harry has graduated from school and is working for the Order of the Phoenix alongside those who were already. With Voldemort still rising to power, it is Harry's safety that the Order worries about, therefore sending him into hiding. Unfortunately, history is beginning to repeat itself. One by one, Voldemort turns the Order's members, or kills them. And with each kill, he gets closer to finding Harry's whereabouts.

When rumor starts up that Harry has indeed been found by the Death Eaters, Sirius Black (whom I refuse to accept as dead if you haven't noticed) leaves to seek out his godson. Soon the story splits and we are following Sirius on his quest, living at Grimmauld Place with the Weasley's, traveling Europe with Hermione to find information on growing members of Voldemort's clan, running with Harry toward safety or danger, and in the end always coming back to the security of Hogwarts. 

**__**

~Return to Grimmauld Place~

Platform nine and three quarters was packed with students returning from an unusually normal year as they had known it. Harry stood with Hedwig perched on his shoulder instead of in her normal cage. Ron and Hermione were at his side, as well as Ginny. 

'I can't believe its over.' said Hermione, 'just like that, we've graduated!'

'And passing everything besides!' said Ron with a happy look at his N.E.W.T.s grade sheet once more. 'I can't believe it! An outstanding in Potions! Who knew I'd make it this far?'

'Who knew you'd make it at all!' Hermione shot back. 'You barely studied for that exam! You were lucky!' 

Hermione, of course, had gotten an Excellent on her potions exam, but could not help badgering Ron, trying to make him feel guilty for his taking advantage of his luck. Harry stayed back with Ginny as they marched forward through the barrier, the both of them rolling their eyes at the pair.

'Think they'll ever stop?' Ginny asked before they followed through the wall.

'No. And it'll only get worse.' Ginny didn't know it, and of course neither did Hermione, but Ron had been intending on purposing when they had finished schooling at Hogwarts. He had even showed Harry the ring. 

'She's a beauty, isn't she?' Ron had beamed. Harry couldn't believe it, personally. 

'When are you going to ask her?'

'After we're all settled in.'

'But that'll be years, Ron.'

'I know. Gives me plenty of time.'

Harry sighed. Ron was putting too much hope into this and not enough brain. Hermione could well meet someone else by then. He didn't think to say a word about Hermione's past relationship with the famous Quidditch player Viktor Krum. 

Ginny and Harry passed through the barrier together. Hermione and Ron had not stopped bickering. Sighing once more, Ginny and Harry passed them by and stepped out into the sunlit streets. The Dursleys were nowhere to be seen.

'Harry, where's your Uncle and Aunt?' Ginny asked.

'I'm not going back to Privet Drive.' he stated knowingly. 

'Where _are_ you going, then?'

'Grimmauld Place. Sirius said I can live there now if I like.'

Ginny smiled, though she hid it. 

'That's where we were going to stay this summer!' 

'I know.' Her eagerness seemed to fade. Harry looked around, somewhat suspiciously. 'Where's _your_ ride.'

'Oh...I was under the impression that we were going to...well..._you_ know.' she elbowed him gently in the side. He barely moved, but laughed all the same. 

'Are we still up for that then?'

Ginny nodded. Hermione and Ron had caught up with them at last, their bickering finally at an end.

'Are we going then, Harry?' Ron asked. 

'Yes, just sending Hedwig off first.' He stuck a note in her left foot and watched as she took off toward the sun. 

'What was that?' Hermione asked as she shaded her eyes to watch the snow white owl. 

'A letter to let then all know we're coming.' he turned to the others smiling. 'Ready then?'

They nodded. Harry eyed around and found a dank, abandoned alleyway about half the block's length down. With little consideration of the funny looks they received (they were, after all, still wearing their Hogwarts robes) they entered it. Harry stood watch. 

'Ginny, Hermione, you first.'

The girls nodded. Before Harry turned around, a red hawk (Ginny) and a black tabby (Hermione) now stood in the middle of the alley. 'Your turn Ron.' A rather awkward looking cat that surely did not belong in London, if indeed anywhere in England, joined them. Harry turned his head. 'All right then?' A large black dog not unlike Sirius' form then stood before them all. With a slight yip he announced that they start the race back home. Ginny took off, her wings picking up a brilliant gust of wind that sent her off on a good head start. Hermione slinked away down the alleys, searching for shortcuts. Ron bound off, with Harry well after him, his tongue lolling in his mouth, enjoying the freedom of once again being an animagi.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A small group of people sat around the basement kitchen table, making small conversation. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Kingsley from the Ministry, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George. 

'I can't believe they've graduated already.' said Mrs. Weasley with a teary smile, referring to all of them save Ginny, who would be completing her last year at Hogwarts the next year. 'I'm so proud of all of them.'

'I wish I could have seen Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts final exam grades.' said Lupin with a funny smile. 'He was always so good in that class. Enjoyed it too.'

'Wish I could've seen him at it.' said Moody with a growl. There was an awkward silence for some time before Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. 

'I'm sure they all did fantastic!' 

The others nodded, this seemed to do the topic justice.

'How are they all getting back?' Sirius asked, tipping his chair on the two back legs. 'Wasn't the Ministry sending cars for them?' There was a silence that made Sirius' chair clank loudly back down on the floor. 'Weren't they?'

Glances were cast around at Kingsley and Arthur. 

'Err, there were no arrangements made for that.' said Kingsley, his face suddenly going slack and his eyes widening.

'What?' Sirius looked to Arthur. 'We sent a letter to the Ministry to-'

'Sirius there wasn't any letter regarding a pack of cars for the kids.'

Mrs. Weasley looked now to him angrily. 

'How did you expect us to be picking up the kids then, dear?'

'I well....rather wondered that myself darling.' 

Sirius looked outside. It was pitch black out. He could only imagine Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry waiting for them. Then another thought occurred to him, what if they'd given up and started walking? He stood, his chair falling backward onto the floor. 

'Well, we're going to go get them.' he stated.

'Sirius you can't leave!' Molly stated fiercely. 

He was about to turn around and remind her how Harry was _his_ responsibility. He was about to tell her how he didn't care about himself with Harry out there and Voldemort well after him. He was about to yell at her for being so stupid to the fact that Sirius wasn't going to sit around with Harry in possible danger, when something brushed the back of his skull at amazing speed, knocking him into the wall. 

A white blur whirled around them all, then landed in a daze on the table. The owl hooted warmly in greeting, looking around for the man she knew the letter was addressed to. She saw Sirius and hooted louder, as if hurrying him to take the letter.

'That's Hedwig.' said Fred immediately. 

'Isn't she Harry's owl?' George asked.

'Yes, she is.' Mrs. Weasley replied, her eyes flashing up at Sirius. 'Well, the letter is obviously for you otherwise she wouldn't be throwing this fit! Take it! He's probably wondering where on earth we are!'

Sirius stepped forward. Hedwig hooted warmly and landed on his shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately. He took the letter, and she flew off, landing back on the table where Lupin was brandishing a small treat for her. 

'Well?' Mrs. Weasley barked. He glared at her, then continued to read the letter. It was rather short, and he was quite confused as to what it meant.

'Sirius,' he started, reading it aloud. 'Hermione, Ron, and I will be arriving soon. Don't worry, we'll be fine. Look forward to seeing you all very soon. Love, Harry. P.s., you may want to open one of your windows.'

'Open a window?' Mrs. Weasley repeated. 

'A rather strange request.' said Moody, his magical eye peering at the paper, reading it to himself. 

'Well, we've got one open upstairs anyway...I just wonder how they're getting here?'

At that, Lupin smiled. Sirius cast him a quizzical expression, but before he could say a word a loud screech rang from upstairs. He turned to face the stairs and ducked in time to avoid a mouthful of red feathers from a hawk. 

'What on earth?' Mrs. Weasley cried as she scooted back from the table. It landed where her tea had been moments ago. It then leapt into her chair and transformed almost instantly into Ginny.

Sirius stared in utter amazement, then laughed in humored realization. Ginny, however, stood almost immediately.

'I can't wait to tell Ron! I knew I'd beat him!' 

At that moment, the baying of what sounded like an overlarge wolfhound echoed through the air.

'What on earth-?' Mr. Weasley looked around. 'That wasn't a werewolf?'

'Of course not.' said Lupin, his eyebrow raised casually as he stood. 

'Oh...right...sorry.' he blushed. 'But what was it?'

Sirius clambered up the stairs, followed by Remus and the others. Ginny, however, was well in the lead. She opened the door, where a black cat slinked inside. 

'Ron's not here yet?' she asked. Mrs. Weasley looked to Arthur as if their only daughter was going insane. But as they all looked up, the cat had disappeared and Hermione was standing before them all. 

'Hello!' she greeted warmly. The others smiled. Lupin pulled her into a one armed embrace and smiled. 

'I think I see where this is leading. Hello Hermione, good to see you.'

'And you, Professor.' she smiled, but then rounded on her heel to talk to Sirius. 'Harry and Ron will be arriving shortly, you might have heard Harry, he was howling something but I didn't bother with it because I was already on the porch.' 

Sirius smiled, his eyes lighting for the first time she could ever remember. 

'Thank you Hermione.' he turned to the others. 'If you wish, and if the children desire they can have anything out of the cabinets to eat. I'm going to meet them half way.' Remus nodded his head and smiled. 

'Tell Harry hello for me.' he extended a hand to Ginny's shoulder. 'Hungry?' he asked.

'Famished!' Ginny stated. 

Sirius slipped out of the door and transformed instantly. As a great black dog, he bound out toward the forest that was some distance down the street and away from the town, baying his own greeting. A howl greeted his own.

'Harry is that you?'

'Sirius! Hello! Are the others there?'

'Ginny and Hermione have already arrived.'

'Okay, coming now.' 

As he continued running, another large black dog similar to himself came bounding out after him, an awkward looking cat slinking after him. The dog barked.

'There you are!'

Sirius laughed, tackling the other dog playfully. 

'I should bite your ear, you know that?'

'What did I do?' 

They continued to wrestle, having a great amount of fun. 

'We thought the Ministry was coming to pick you up, its near midnight and you weren't back yet! You must _live_ to scare the crap out of me!'

'Well yeah, that's part of my purpose!'

Sirius laughed. 

'What's the other part.'

'To scare the crap out of everyone else.'

'Have I told you that you do a great job?'

'You don't have to, but thanks.'

Sirius nipped Harry's tail lovingly, as he reared and tackled Sirius from underneath. Sirius went tumbling, laughing hysterically inside. 

'Should we be getting back? Ron's probably already arrived.' 

'Yeah all right. I'll race you!' Harry peered down the road. For a moment Sirius started to take that back, realizing he had run all the way from the station, Harry was probably near exhaustion. But a sudden renewal in the unchanged emerald green eyes that would put any jewel to shame, and Sirius' tail raised in excitement.

'You're on!' he barked, and Harry bound off, Sirius chasing behind, yipping in glee.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remus heard the scratching on the door and the shrill familiar barks of an old friend. He smiled and opened the door. Two, not one, very large black dogs stared up at him with tongue's hanging out. Slightly surprised, he stepped backward, allowing them in. Closing the door behind him, he saw from the corner of his eye the brown eyed dog gently biting the ear of the green eyed one. Remus laughed, shaking his head. 

'Now if you don't stop that _Snuffles_, I'm going to have you neutered!'

Immediately the dogs transformed. The green eyed one, as Remus had predicted, was Harry. The brown eyed one was Sirius, looking slightly unnerved at Remus' statement. Harry was, on the other hand, trying hard not to burst out laughing. Remus, however, did not bother to hide his laughter. He extended an arm to Harry and embraced him lightly.

'How are you Harry?'

'Good. How about yourself Professor Lupin?'

'I'm good. Quite glad to see you and your friends all right and arriving safely.'

'Oh, did Ron-'

'He's already here.' Remus smiled. 'In the basement, all of them eating. If you're hungry I'm sure you're welcome to help yourself.' 

'Oh, of course!' Sirius stated as both pairs of eyes were cast questioningly to him. As Harry disappeared behind the basement door, Remus looked up and smiled slightly. 

'Well, who does this remind you of?' he asked.

'Just like James.' Sirius stated, a sort of awe in his voice. 

'Yes. But, I think there's some of you rubbing off on him.'

Sirius raised an eyebrow. 'Oh?'

'Yes. You'd think his animagus form would have been more similar to James'. Instead it was almost exactly identical to yours.'

'Is that bad?'

'No! Not at all!' Remus smiled brightly. 'In fact, I'm rather glad of it.'

Sirius watched as Remus stepped downstairs to join the others, leaving him alone to ponder the statement.


	2. A Small, Simple Celebration

**__**

A Small, Simple Celebration

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione awoke and stumbled dumbly down the stairs the next morning, they had not expected to walk in on a party, least of all one for them. There was a small, simple banner with the words 'Congratulations Graduates' streamed in colorful letters across it. Beneath were listed 'Harry, Ron, and Hermione.' The awkward thing was, no one was there.

'Hmm, strange.' Ron stated. 'Happy Graduation, sorry we're not here, celebrate when we get back?'

Harry laughed, peering around until his eyes fell upon a figure now standing in the doorway, looking slightly disappointed.

'So much for surprise, Molly.' came Sirius' voice. 'The kids are up already!'

Mrs. Weasley came clambering in, nearly pushing Sirius out of her way. 

'What are you doing up so early?' she nearly shouted, but held back at the last minute.

'Its near nine, mum!' Ron spoke up looking thoroughly confused. He looked to Harry and Hermione for support, but found nothing. 

'I don't care! Go back to bed!' 

Remus entered the room, smiling guiltily at the bemused expressions upon the trio's face. 

'Have we been discovered, Sirius?'

'I fear we have.' he replied, but Mrs. Weasley was still trying to shoo them out. 'Now Molly, that's not necessary.' he stated. He looked unusually amused by the situation at hand. 'They can stay!'

'No they can't!' Molly whirled on him. It was almost humorous how intimidating she could be with most of the men in the house, considering most of them were at least a foot taller than she was. 'This is a surprise. Now the three of you get upstairs or I'll put a memory charm on you!'

Harry shook his head, a grim smile to reply to Sirius' wink. Remus pat them each on the shoulder as they passed him by. 

'Expect breakfast in twenty!' he replied, making everyone laugh save for Mrs. Weasley, who started hollering again.

'No! We won't be ready!'

* * *

'Well, that was a nice good morning if I ever got one.' Ron stated as he fussed over his hair. 'What do you think, Harry?'

'I think your mum _might_ be taking this a bit too far.' Harry replied. 'Work on your bangs a bit.'

'Yeah, you're right. I mean, we graduated! Big deal! She didn't get this worked up when Fred and George...well no they didn't really graduate, did they? What about this?'

'Hmm, no I wouldn't consider flying out of the school on brooms in the middle of term a graduation either. That's better.'

'Well what about Bill and Charlie? And Percy? Any better now?'

'Well, Bill and Charlie where a while ago...and the situation with Percy these days hasn't been easy on you mum and dad so...yeah that's fine!'

'Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks.'

'You're her last son Ron, she's going to want you to have a good graduation. No problem.'

Ron looked at himself at an angle in the mirror. 

'I think I'm getting fat.'

Harry laughed. 

'Only your head, Ron.'

'Yeah you know I-hey!'

Hermione entered as Ron tossed a pillow in Harry's direction. 

'Would you two stop! We can come down now, you know?'

'We can?' Ron smiled.

'Yes! Your mother called us down just ten minutes ago, weren't you listening?'

'Sorry, couldn't here her over Ron fussing over his hair.'

'I was not!' Ron bellowed. Hermione rolled her eyes. 

'Well when you two are done fooling around, we'll begin.'

'Come on lover boy!' Harry called after Ron, soon to find himself fending for his life down the stairs.

'You can come in now!' Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen. Hermione entered followed by Harry and Ron.

'You're safe, she won't kill you now.' Fred smiled. 

'All that fuss about a graduation party!' came George at last.

'Well, its not like the two of _you_ ever graduated!' their mother shot at them bitterly. Fred knitted his eyebrows together, looking offended and hurt.

'Ow, mum.'

'Its not like we're not successful!' George came in. 

'Still.' 

The twins both crossed their arms and sighed, Sirius smiling fondly. 

'Who wants breakfast?'

'Well, you three get to pick today!' Mrs. Weasley turned, for the first time, smiling upon the trio with bright eyes. 

'Err.' Harry looked at the others. 

'Eggs and bacon sound good mum!' said Ron with a smile. 

'Yes that sounds lovely!' Hermione agreed. 

'Harry dear is that fine with you?'

'Yes, sounds fantastic.'

Another face soon joined them in the kitchen as they ate breakfast. 

'Finally let them up, did you Molly?' said Remus with a smile. He looked slightly disheveled, and Harry suddenly wondered when the next full moon was coming up. 'I was beginning to wonder if they'd be able to get any food or if you'd leave them to starve till noon.'

Ron sat shoveling mouthfuls of eggs into his mouth, barely saying a word. Hermione only rolled her eyes. Harry was certain that if they were back at school she might have said something about manners, but being at Grimmauld Place left her with slightly less power over what Ron and Harry did. 

'So what are we doing today, mum?' Ron asked after he'd inhaled nearly everything but his plate. 

'What do you want to do, dear?'

Hermione was still working on her breakfast as Harry finally finished off his own.

'What is there to do?'

'Not much.' Sirius stated lazily, rocking his chair on its two back legs. 'Take if from someone who's spent four years hiding here. It gets boring. Quick.'

'Well that certainly isn't uplifting.' Ron admitted. Sirius smiled, eyeing Harry curiously. 

'You could help Fred and George. I think they're coming up with a new little candy for their shop.'

'Oh dear.' Mrs. Weasley sighed. Ron, however, seemed to perk his head in interest. 

'Maybe we could set off some fireworks of theirs.' Ron suggested after a moment. 'George told me they were working on some new-'

'I don't think Sirius would appreciate it if the three of you blew his house to pieces.'

'Well we weren't going to-'

'I don't trust fireworks inside the house.' Mrs. Weasley stated in a very daunting tone. 'No, Ron.'

'All right.' Ron stood. 'Come on, Harry.'

'Hold on.' Sirius stated, raising a hand. 'The two of you can go off on your own. I'd like to talk to Harry privately.'

As Hermione and Ron left, Sirius escorted Harry into a rather out of the way room Harry had never seen before. Once the door closed, Harry held his breath. He wasn't sure what this was leading to.

'So,' he started, sitting down in a rather dusty old armchair. 

'So.' Harry repeated. 

'There's something I've been meaning to ask you about-you can sit down Harry, we're all family here. No need for an invitation.'

Harry sat in a similar looking chair across from Sirius. He realized that they were both in a small study with a rather damp looking fireplace that was unlit. His gaze fixed on it, though he wasn't certain why. 

'Remus brought to my attention last night, a rather awkward situation.'

'Did he?' Harry asked. 

'Yes, he did.' As Sirius said this, he leaned over and lit a fire in the fireplace, casting some light and dancing shadows around them. 'There, that's better. Now...something rather impressive...when did you, the four of you, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and yourself, study to become Animagi?'

Harry breathed a sigh, worrying that he might have done something wrong up until a few moments ago.

'We started early last year. It took us till last summer to finally master it though.'

Sirius nodded. 

'Have you given any thought as to why you take the form you do?'

Now Harry believed this to be a rather odd question, but answered it nonetheless.

'No, why?'

'Remus seems to think I'm rubbing off on you, and that is what has influenced the, how should I say, incredible likeness in our forms?'

'What's wrong with that?'

Sirius seemed pleased with the statement, almost prided in fact.

'He seems to think that your form should have resembled-'

'My father's form?' he caught on.

'Well, yes.'

Harry sighed. This was rather awkward really. What did it matter about his animagi form? Were they trying to turn him into his father? 

'Well, I'm not my father.' Harry stated in a very matter-of-fact tone. 'I may look like him, I may act like him...we do have...similarities...but I'm not _him_. I cease to see where the problem lies.'

'Oh, there's no problem.' Sirius looked rather startled. 'I just, well, was rather impressed. Not only that you could master something so unnatural, but that in the end your form was so similar to my own. I just wondered it that, well, meant something.'

'Are you saying I have a choice as to what my end form is?'

'Well, in a sense you do.' said Sirius, resting his chin on his fingers which were pressed firmly together. 'You see, being an animagi in such an unnatural case as you, and I, your friends, your father...your form is chosen as an animal that mostly affects, or represents you. Mine was a dog, because my name is the name of the dog shaped constellation.'

Harry smiled. 'How did my dad become a stag, then?'

Sirius chuckled lightly. 'We never came to that conclusion. We just figured it was something that represented him in a symbolic sense. A stag is a free running creature, and your father was always quite free spirited.' he fell silent, memories flickering before his eyes for a while before coming back to the present. 'But anyway, as I was saying, the animal that one transforms into represents something about that person. Remus couldn't quite understand why it was a dog, instead of a stag.'

'Well, you were always there.' Harry stated hurriedly, without realizing it. 'I mean, you were there in place of my dad...you were more of an impact on me because...'

'You knew me?'

Nodding his head, Harry smiled. 'Well, yes.' And to his surprise, a bright smile formed across his godfather's face. Sirius' eyes gazed for sometime into the fire, he seemed to be considering something. Harry was nearly ready to leave him there before his godfather started to speak again.

'You know, the full moon is this weekend.'

'Is it?' Harry stated, his mind trailing to his thoughts earlier this morning on the same subject. 

'I was thinking. I know you're not your father, but, if you would like...the three of us...Remus, myself, and you...could go hunting.'

'Hunting?' Harry raised an eyebrow. 

'Well, we don't really hunt mind you...its basically just...time together...you know?'

Harry beamed.

'I'd love to!'

A smile crossed Sirius' face, yet there was some sadness in it. 

'Good. I had hoped you would.' The both of them stood, but Harry was caught off guard when Sirius embraced him warmly. 'Oh, and Harry.' Sirius pulled away, and handed him a small package, wrapped in paper covered with Snitches and brooms. 'Happy Graduation.'

'Thanks.' He beamed, and together they left the room where Remus, the Weasleys, Hermione, Mad Eye Moody, Kingsley, and a few others were awaiting them. As Harry took a seat at the table, Sirius leaned over and whispered something to Remus. His face took on a surprised expression, and his eyes were cast momentarily toward Harry. 

'Well, now that we're all together!' Mrs. Weasley stated giddily, clapping her hands. 'Let the celebration begin!' 

A rather large and overly decorated cake (which was covered in Snitches, brooms, Quaffles, quills, wands, and a large image of the Gryffindor Lion) appeared on the table, as well as some gifts for each of the three graduates. Harry smiled, and he was sure his face had turned slightly red at the attention they were all receiving for such a seemingly small occasion. Ron appeared to notice his expression and leaned over.

'Mum always overdid the graduation thing.'

Harry smiled.

'That's just fine.' 


	3. Moony, Bobcat, Padfoot, and Shadowfax

**__**

~Moony, Bobcat, Padfoot, and Shadowfax~

On Friday night, as the others slept, Sirius left a note for the others so that no one would worry. Harry lay a more specific one on his own pillow for Ron and Hermione should they become concerned in the morning when they woke to find him gone. With a slight pang of guilt, he left Ron to sleep, knowing he would probably be hurt to know that he had missed out on some late night fun. 

Sirius was already in the kitchen, waiting for him.

'Remus is outside.' he stated, standing as Harry entered. 'I think he's already transformed and gone into the forest. He's taken his potion, so he's got his senses. It's just a matter of keeping him away from people.'

Harry raised an eyebrow.

'So then we can't change into our human forms at all while with him?'

'No.'

Harry nodded. He was slightly nervous, yet at the same time highly excited. He'd never gone on an adventure with the Maurders before. 

'Ready Harry?' Sirius smiled, making sure that everything was set for them to go. He nodded, and together they made their way toward the porch. Immediately Sirius transformed into the big, jet black, bear like dog. With a glance around, Harry went after him. 

'Ready?' Sirius yipped. 

'Yes.'

Sirius bolted down the steps, Harry following closely at his heels. 

'Winded yet?' he turned his head back, his tongue lolling out.

'You wish.' and with a spurt of agility, Harry surpassed him on the street. Sirius growled and quickened his pace, the both of them side by side. They remained that way for sometime, forgetting what they had come outside to do. The race was on, and in the end, Sirius beat Harry only by a whisker's length. 'Next time.' Harry panted. 

'We'll see.' Sirius howled in laughter. He stood and bit Harry's ear playfully, when a familiar voice came from the woods.

'Hey lovebirds, can we get a move on?' It was Remus.

'Hey Moony, shove it!' Sirius yipped. A large wolf equivalent to Sirius' size appeared from the brush. For a moment, Harry stepped back. The site was rather awkward. Instead of the disheveled creature Remus Lupin usually was, Harry was surprised to see a solid, burly animal standing before him. 

'Good to see you, Harry!' Remus turned and growled friendly-like. 

'And you, Professor.'

'Ah, its Moony out here.'

'Err, very well.' Harry wagged his tail, peering around. 

'So what are we doing?' Moony turned and asked. 'Padfoot?' 

'I don't know. Roaming I guess. Hogsmeade is too far away, find anything interesting in there?' Sirius, or Padfoot, made a gesture toward the forest.

'I didn't look around enough. I was waiting for you two.'

'Well, its something.'

'Hardly an adventure.'

'Well...we could go find some trouble making muggles and-'

'No Moony, I keep telling you, you can't bite muggles. You can't bite _anyone_!'

Harry was rather surprised at the change this transformation inflicted in his old, highly responsible Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He supposed it was the wild letting go and being unleashed. 

'Padfoot you always were one for spoiling my fun.'

'Only on nights like this.' 

Harry laughed, trying to cover it with a fake sneeze.

'Have we made a decision yet?' he asked, sitting out of his impatience as the other's debated.

'The forest.' Padfoot growled. 'No where else. Moony, you first. I'll go in next, Harry you can follow.'

Harry nodded. Moony crawled in, Padfoot creeping silently behind him. Making sure none had seen, Harry followed without a sound even his sensitive ears could trace. He caught a werewolf's scent and followed as it delved deeper into the forest, Padfoot's scent mingled with it. He heard a soft growl some feet before him and set off at a trotting pace, stopping a few inches from the two.

'Can't see squat in here.' Padfoot stated with an angry growl. 

'I can see.' Moony came.

'You're senses are slightly more heightened than mine.'

Harry looked around, _he_ wasn't having too much trouble seeing. The moon was a great amount of help, and there were open spaces in the canopy of trees above them. Harry was still always slightly amazed at how much larger everything looked from an animal's perspective. He paid little attention to their conversation, his eyes darting this way and that at the new world he was now finding himself in, catching interesting scents and sounds between the pair's yips and snarls. 

After a few moments, however, he started to grow bored. He sat with his tail wagging, awaiting a decision from the other two. 

'We're not going to get anywhere if you don't stop nagging me.' Moony stated with a slightly aggravated snarl. 

'If you'd stop making such stupid proposes of finding someone to bite I'd lay off.'

'You've _always_ been like this. We'd always fight.'

'No we wouldn't.'

'Yes we would. The only thing that kept us from continually fighting was James!'

There was a slight pause. Padfoot cast a quick glance at Harry, who was trying to make his eyes look everywhere but at the two before them.

'Remarks like that aren't necessary right now, _Remus_. I suggest you stop-'

'Whatever you two are fighting about, you do realize that nothing is going to be happening tonight.' Harry interrupted, though trying not to sound impolite. 'No offense, but your bickering is only going to complicate mattes if we don't head off. We're too close to the edge of the forest to be safely away from any humans, muggle _or_ wizard.' 

Padfoot cast an awkward glance at Harry, mingled somewhere between admiration and something else. Respect maybe, but he doubted it.

'Very well, lets head out.' 

Harry sighed, following behind once more in amazing silence. 

* * *

'Doing all right, Harry?' Padfoot yipped behind them.

'Just fine.'

'Have you ever been through a forest before?' Moony turned, his eyes looking hungry and eager.

'Err, yes.'

'As an animagi?'

'Yes, I have. Ron and I used to sneak into the Forbidden Forest when...um...' Harry suddenly turned away, seeing the unreadable look in Padfoot's brown eyes. 

'When you what?' Moony pushed. 

'When school was over late at night. We never got caught, so...'

Moony turned and seemed to smile at Padfoot, who looked as though he were somewhere between disappointment and amusement. 

'What? We never did anything wrong?'

'You're not supposed to go in there!' Padfoot barked. 

'Oh come on, with all the things you used to do when you were my age?'

Moony laughed heartily. 

'I guess you _are_ rubbing off on him.'

'That's not the point, with-'

'Oh c'mon Padfoot. Harry, I think you've earned yourself a nickname as a Maurder.' 

'Hold on...' Padfoot hissed. 'Do you hear that?'

'I did.' Harry stated, his ears tipped upward and forward. It sounded like a deep purring. 'Sounds like a cat.'

'The lungs are to big to be a housecat.' Moony stated, snarling. 'Dinner!'

'No!' Padfoot barked. 'Harry, go see what it is.'

Harry nodded his head and stepped through the brush. The purring was coming from above him. He cast his eyes upward and angled his ears to hear better, but before he could react, whatever it was pounced down on him, sharp claws sunk into his sides. Harry yelped and threw himself on his back to get it off, but a voice cried out, familiar and only slightly humored.

'Harry, its me!' it was Ron in Animagi form. 

'What are you doing here?' Harry growled as Padfoot and Moony came barreling through the brush, teeth ferociously exposed. 'Nothing like scaring the crap out of me, and did you _have_ to use your claws?'

'Oh, sorry.' Ron cast his eyes down. 

'What happened?' Padfoot growled. 'Ron why are you-'

'Following.' he stated rather proudly. 'Woke up to get a drink of water...found Harry's note. There's _no_ way I'm missing out on a Maurders Raid!' 

Padfoot and Moony exchanged amused looks. Padfoot was first to respond.

'We're not raiding anything!'

'Still, it sounds like fun.'

'I don't see why he can't come along.' Moony stated. 'So long as he knows the risks-'

'Yes, yes I know. I can come though? I can be a...a _Maurder_?' Ron spoke as if this were some honor next to being knighted. 

'Yes you can.' Moony stated with a smile upon his face. 'Does your mother know-'

'Are you kidding? Of course not! She'd flip!'

Harry smiled, thinking suddenly of what Mrs. Weasley might say if she found out her son was hanging out in the presence of a werewolf all night.

'Then you're in.' Moony laughed. Ron looked as though he'd been named the Most Valuable Quidditch Player of the Year. 

'Brilliant!'

Ron and Harry both beamed at each other.

* * *

'So, it's settled then?' Padfoot asked. 

'Sounds good to me.' Ron smiled.

'And me.' Harry replied.

'All right then. The _new generation _of Maurders: Moony, Bobcat, Padfoot, and Shadowfax.'

'All right.' said Padfoot. 'Ron, of course, is Bobcat, and Harry, you're Shadowfax.'

'Sounds good.' Harry stated with a smile. 

'I hope you're not expecting a certificate or anything?' Moony laughed. 

Harry smiled. 

'No, I think we're good.'

'Yeah, mum'll have my hide if she finds out what I'm doing anyway.' Ron stated. 

'Its a very nice one.' Harry yipped.

'Shut up, _Shadowfax_!' Ron hissed. 


	4. The Order of the Phoenix

**__**

~The Order of the Phoenix~

It was early in the morning before Sirius, Harry, and Ron came stumbling back into the kitchen. Remus had remained in the forest, sleeping off the previous night.

'Same time tonight then?' he'd yipped before they'd set off back home.

'All right.' Padfoot replied. The three of them bounding off toward Grimmauld Place. Harry felt a slight pang of guilt for leaving Moony behind, but if they didn't get back he was certain Mrs. Weasley would have a fit.

'Okay, back to your rooms quietly.' Sirius whispered. 'No one will know a thing.'

'No one will know what?' came a very perturbed voice. The three of them turned as one, terrified to see Mrs. Weasley looking tired and puffy eyed. 'Where _have_ you been?' Harry had only heard her voice so full of anger once, and that was when Fred, George, and Ron had come to rescue them from the Dursley's in his second year. The lecture had not been directed at him then, but now, he had a feeling it was. 'Sirius, what are you doing taking my son out this late at night? And Harry too?'

'We were just, it was _nothing_, Molly, really.' 

Harry would not have been surprised if steam started to shoot out of her ears. Her face grew almost as red as her hair, and as she opened her mouth, Harry prepared himself for an argument that would well blow the windows from the walls. Instead, however, Mrs. Weasley burst into tears, yet still managed to holler at the lot of them.

'NEVER SEEN SUCH IRRESPONSIBILITY!' was something Harry caught. 'ENDANGERING NOT ONLY YOUR CHILDREN BUT OTHER'S AS WELL! NEVER SEEN SUCH CARELESSNESS! RECKLESSNESS! HE'LL END UP DEAD UNDER CARE LIKE YOURS!' the last statement had sent Sirius swelling with bitter rage. Harry started to tug on Ron's robes, bringing him back should curses start to fly. Sirius' own face went ugly pale before turning a hideous shade of violet, frighteningly similar to Uncle Vernon. 

'You think...that I would _ever_...risk putting Harry or Ron...in danger?' he muttered, gripping his wand tightly as if struggling not to use it.

'YOU'VE JUST DONE IT!' Mrs. Weasley bellowed through her tears. 'OUT ALL NIGHT! LORD ONLY KNOWS WHO-OR WHAT-COULD HAVE CAUGHT YOU!'

'Well...nothing happened...did it?'

'THAT'S NOT THE POINT! SOMETHING VERY WELL COULD HAVE HAPPENED! THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW!'

'Not...likely.' Sirius was gritting his teeth, his face still purple. 

'REALLY? CAN YOU PREVENT DEATH? COULD YOU PROTECT THEM IF YOU WERE DEAD? UNCONSCIOUS? HONESTLY SIRIUS, HE'LL END UP LIKE-'

'DON'T YOU DARE SAY WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SAY!' Sirius finally let lose, his eyes wide with madness. Mrs. Weasley seemed slightly taken aback by his shouting, since he'd rarely ever done it before. 'IT WON'T HAPPEN!'

Mrs. Weasley puffed herself up, tears spilling unchecked down her cheeks. 

'You can't make that promise, Sirius.' she wept. 'You can't. You don't know what its like. Just like that, they can be taken away from you. It happened with Ginny. For a moment, I believed she was dead. I'd never get her back. Harry saved her, the dear, but he nearly died too. You see, you can't always be with them. And its at those times, that what you fear worse strikes. You can't say it won't happen Sirius, because you won't always be there to protect him.'

There was an awful silence where Harry felt as though his insides were disintegrating. The expression on Sirius' face changed so severely that he thought his godfather might throw up. The seriousness of what Mrs. Weasley was saying had sunk in, and not just on him. Ron's face was frightfully pale, and Harry could feel the heat creep away from his own very quickly. 

'And what do you think his fourth year was like for me?' Sirius stated. Harry suddenly felt quite angry that this was all boiling down to him again. Wasn't Voldemort out to kill them all now? He looked to Ron, but his eyes were focused on the pair arguing before them. 'When he disappeared in that maze? Receiving a letter from Dumbeldore telling me that they couldn't find him! They had no idea where he was! _Don't_ tell me I don't know what its like! I've experienced it too!'

A sudden sinking feeling made Harry want to leave. Looking around quickly, he set off at a brisk pace down the corridor and upstairs. He could already hear Mrs. Weasley:

'Now you've gone and made him upset!'

Harry rolled his eyes. It wasn't like, he was just tired of the bickering. It wasn't till he reached his room that he realized Ron was following.

'Never gets off, does she?' he stated, heaving a sigh.

'Yeah...well...' Harry shrugged, he didn't want to say anything. It wasn't his mother who seemed to be more concerned with him than her own son. 

'I mean, we were perfectly safe with Sirius!'

'Right.'

'What's she getting herself so worked up for?'

'Don't know.'

'You all right?' Harry jumped at this question. Ron was looking at him in a concerned way.

'Fine, why?'

'You seemed upset when you left.' 

Harry sighed. 'I just wish she'd stop biting Sirius' head off. Its not like he was being _completely_ irresponsible.'

'Yeah.' Ron sighed. 'I think its..._this_ place.' he stated. Harry raised an eyebrow.

'What do you mean?'

'Well, we're all crammed inside of it like this. I mean, mum's used to cramped space, don't get me wrong.' Ron smiled, which Harry returned. Mrs. Weasley had had over the course of her life seven children, along with herself and her husband, the Burrow certainly wasn't what one would consider spacious. 'But, well...she's always sort of felt that you were her responsibility.' Ron blushed at the perplexed expression Harry cast at him. 'Well...I mean...you're mum and dad...well...she just felt that she'd gotten another son. I guess maybe she feels threatened, like she'd been replaced or something.' 

Harry raised an eyebrow. He'd never heard Ron talk like this before. It seemed to make sense, but Harry couldn't help but smile. There was some silence, and they could soon tell that the bickering downstairs had not stopped.

'I've raised seven children, six of them boys! I think I know something about how to raise a young man like Harry!'

'Well that's not your job, is it? That's mine!'

'I don't think we're going to be allowed out tonight, are we?' Ron turned to Harry, trying to distract the both of them from the argument. 

'Probably not. Unless we want to sneak off on our own.'

Harry smiled. 'Somehow I think Sirius would still get the blame.'

'No he wouldn't. I would.' 

'That doesn't make me feel much better, Ron.' he laughed.

'Well, I'm sure I could put some of the blame on you. Like..."Harry made me do it mum! He threatened to turn me into a toad and fill my bed with snakes if I didn't!"'

'Do you think she'd buy it?' Harry laughed. 

'Not for an instant.'

They chuckled as Hermione came walking in.

'Who's your mum yelling at?' she asked, sitting down at the foot of Harry's bed.

'Sirius.' they replied simultaneously. 

'Oh dear, now what's he done?' Ron and Harry exchanged glances, then shrugged. Hermione rolled her eyes. 'You two were never very good liars.'

'Oh its nothing, really!' Ron stated.

'Sirius took us all out last night. That's all. To keep a watch on Lupin.' Harry confided at last. He thought he saw a flash of hurt through Hermione's eyes, and he himself felt quite guilty for not having included her. 

'Oh.' she stated, rising from the bed. 'All right. Well, I'm going downstairs.' and she left the both of them starring after her.

'What's her problem?' Ron inquired.

'I think she feels left out.' Harry responded.

***

When the arguing died down, Harry and Ron joined the others for what was really lunch, though they hadn't had breakfast yet. Sirius sat at the head of the table, looking very agitated, hardly responding to much of what was said at the table. Mrs. Weasley was very much the same way, though now and again she would say something like 'Oh Ron, do chew with your mouth closed.' or 'Fred, not at the table.'

It was sometime after the sounds of eating had died down that Alastor Moody cleared his throat. Harry had found it quite awkward that they were all together, save for the excusable absence of Moony, and the rarely missed Snape. 

'A decision has been made.' he said at last. Everyone looked up, thoroughly confused at his statement. 

'About?' George raised an eyebrow. 

'We've discussed it.' Kingsley came in, now all eyes shifting upon him. He seemed rightly uncomfortable being the center of attention, but continued on with it. 'We've decided that we've got a few new members to induct into the order.' At this, Mrs. Weasley raised an eyebrow. 'But, of course, only if they chose to accept it.'

'And there's some training to be taken care of, after all.' said Moody with a guttural growl. 

'What kind of training?' Ron asked, turning to the Auror. Moody eyed him suspiciously, then turned to face Kingsley as he stated up again. 

'Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George. You are all of age to be inducted into the Order. Would you be interested?'

'Yes!' came five voices simultaneously. 

'Wait a moment, here!' said Mrs. Weasley, starting in again.

'Molly, come now!' Mr. Weasley persuaded, but she brushed him aside.

'Would one of you like to describe to these children the danger, and responsibility of being inducted into the Order?' 

Sirius started to clear his throat in what Harry feared would be another argument. 'I agree.' he stated, taking nearly everyone off guard, including Mrs. Weasley. 'Well, for my own reasons. Yes, the Order is a responsibility, and dangerous. That is not something I'm concerned with, for I can rightly assume that all five of them have been introduced to both danger and responsibility.' he paused. Harry hardly knew where this was going. 'I only think that what is done in the Order should be more thoroughly explained before the five of you jump into something blindly.'

Harry nodded his head in agreement. What Sirius said made sense, and he wasn't going to go against his godfather's word. Mrs. Weasley looked slightly pleased at what Sirius had said.

'All right. Well, I think that is something I will leave to the adults in charge to do.' said Kingsley. 'I'm not good with words.' he smiled afterward. 

***

Harry and Sirius soon found themselves back in the dark study where they had been talking only a few days before. There was some tense silence before they had started, Harry only assumed Sirius was trying to find a place to begin.

'It's times like this I just wish they'd give pamphlets to people interested in joining the Order.' was the first thing he said, causing Harry to smile slightly. 'I don't like explaining this to people because, well, look at what happens to so many in our Number?' Harry nodded. He knew well. His parents had been in the Order, after all. 'Anyway, I know you've had your fare share of danger, more than I'd like to believe in some scenarios. In fact, you've dealt with more than most of us have. But if you're looking to escape that, this is not the place you want to be. Responsibility, I know you handle that well enough.' Sirius smiled fondly. 'You at least never have trouble with your priorities, and that says a lot.

'I've, in fact, very little to say to you, except that I am not so sure I like the idea of you joining.'

'Why is that?' Harry asked.

'Because...you'll be throwing yourself into situations that Dumbeldore has fought so long to keep you out of. Situations, and possibly a fate that I couldn't handle you taking on alone, as most of us would have to do.' There was a grim smile on his face, which told Harry he was trying to be positive. 'You see, its nothing more than the risk of history repeating itself in my eyes that worries me. I know you can handle yourself. But...' he sighed, his hand rubbing his temple vigorously.

'Is it what Mrs. Weasley said to you?' he asked, his voice sounded quavering in the silence and near darkness. Sirius looked up at him, his head at an angle for he was still rubbing his temple. 'Is that what's bothering you? That...if something _did_ happen...you wouldn't be there?'

There was a long, unsteady silence. Harry took the time to think. If he was inducted into the Order, what would happen to him? His parents had been in the order, and look at what happened to him? Or could it be a fate worse than death? If he ended up like one of the Longbottoms? Sighing, Harry looked up. Sirius eyes glared into the fire, as if it were the cause of all his misery these past few years.

'Yes.'

Harry jumped. The word was firm and strong, filled with suppressed emotion and fear. A surge of guilt made Harry's insides sink to what was probably the heels of his shoes. 

He stood, and for the first time placed a hand on his godfather's shoulder. 

'Everything turns out the way it is meant to in the end, Sirius. I understand there are risks. Sacrifices even. But you can't expect me to sit around and watch the rest of you do something?'

The shoulders trembled beneath his hand. 'No. I can't ask you to do that. I know too well now what that's like. You're right.'

Sirius stood, and they embraced warmly. 

'Are you at least..._okay_ with it?' Harry asked, though they hadn't pulled away.

There was a bout of silence in which Sirius took a few deep breaths, Harry still in his arms. 

'What does it matter?'

'Because it does. To me.'

Sirius smiled. 'I'm glad to see you following in your father's footsteps.' he smiled. 'I know you've a good head on your shoulders. You'll make us all proud.' They pulled away, the both of them smiling tearfully at each other. 'Just make sure somewhere along the end of that trail you veer off in a new direction.'

Harry laughed, wiping his eyes beneath his glasses. 

'All right.'

They stepped out of the room a few moments later. Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione standing in the kitchen. 

'I've written to mum and dad.' Hermione stated immediately. 'They've agreed to allowing me to do it.'

'Mum gave us a mouthful of how irresponsible we are. But she's still letting us.' Fred stated, George nodding after him.

'Same here.' Ron smiled.

'I think I have permission as well.' Harry smiled, looking over at Sirius. The Aurors and family were all circled together at the table, save for the children, who preferred to stand. Harry couldn't help but feel quite exhilarated. 

'Then its settled!' Kingsley stated. 'You've all agreed to join?' All five of them nodded their heads. 

That indeed seemed to settle it, for afterward the other all continued on with conversation, save for Moody. He made a feline for Harry's side, growling into his ear.

'I've heard that you want to become an Auror?'

'Err, its been an interest of mine, yeah.'

Moody smiled. 'I've never seen you at your Defense Against the Dark Arts. But I know your grades were just fine for it, save maybe the Potions.' he smiled. 'But I might be able to work over that. Still interested?'

'Yes.' Harry's heart leapt. 

'Cause you know, this Order business doesn't pay off. Got to have another job to keep the money coming in.' Harry beamed brightly. 'I'll see what I can do.'

'Thank you!' They shook hands, and Moody worked his way over to Ron and Hermione, probably relaying to them the same opportunity he had given Harry. At the sight of both their faces, Harry had guessed right. He moved to make his way around the table when Sirius popped up in front of him. 

'What did Moody want?'

'Career opportunities.' 

Sirius raised an eyebrow. 'Indeed? What did he have to offer? Is he still trying to get rid of Fudge.'

'More than likely.' Harry laughed, taking a bite out of the apple he'd been working toward. 'But that's not where my interests were laying exactly.'

'An Auror, he told me.'

'He did?' Harry cast his eyes toward the disgruntled Auror who was now taking a seat at the table, looking satisfied. 

'Yes. That's a big job, you know?'

'Yes I do.' he stated. He hadn't realized that the both of them were seated on the countertop. 'I thought it was rather interesting, myself.'

Sirius smiled. 'Oh it is. They keep you on your feet though.'

'Well it looks like now I'm finally getting paid for it then.'

His godfather chuckled heartily. 'Yes, I guess so.'

'Are we still going out tonight? Or would you rather Ron and I stay this time?'

'I think you can decided what you want to do.' and with that, Sirius left him there. Harry stared after him, somewhat hurt and disappointed in Sirius' attitude.


	5. Thoughts and Fears for the Past and Futu...

**__**

~Thoughts and Fears for the Past and Future~

Sirius sat up that night, waiting to see if Harry would join them that night. When his godson came down, beaming bright with Ron in his shadow, he tried to put on his own smile. 

'Ready?' both nodded. 'Lets go then.' 

They stepped outside, transforming the moment after. Two large black dogs and a wild cat bound toward the forest, yet made not a sound. The large wolf was already sitting, waiting for them. 

'Any slower and the full moon would have ended.' Moony laughed. 

'Right.' Padfoot growled. He turned immediately to Harry and Ron. 'Why don't the two of you sneak off for a few moments, I need to speak with Moony alone.'

Ron looked to Harry, who only cast his eyes at his godfather with some mixed emotions Padfoot knew well to expect. 

'Very well.' he growled. Ron followed, and they went their separate way. Harry slipped away silently, and the pair soon lost sight of him. They only had a notion of his location because of Ron's cat like body standing out in the little light provided to them.

'What's wrong?' Moony sat, his tail wagging briskly. When he saw the dark look in Padfoot's eyes, he raised an eyebrow. 'Something is _definitely_ bothering you.'

'It's Harry.'

'What's he done?' Moony seemed rather humored, but that soon died down. 'What's wrong?'

'They're inducting him into the Order.'

'Oh.' Moony sighed. He'd known that this was what his friend had feared all this time. 'Well, its not like-'

'And Moody is going to make him an Auror.'

'Well so much for that last optimistic thought.' Moony laughed. They trotted through the forest at a brisk pace. 'I was just going to say: at least they're not making him an Auror.'

'Well, this is all Harry's decision to do this though. No one has pressured him into it.'

'What are you so worried about?'

'He's doing exactly everything his father did. Everything James did.'

'So?'

'Remus...he told me the exact same thing James did when _he_ decided to join.'

'Really?' 

'Yes...and that was what bothered me the most. Word for word. It was like reliving the moment over again. I was in the chair and he was standing beside me.'

'Hand on the shoulder?'

He was hesitant. 'Yes.'

'That's rather...disturbing.' Moony admitted honestly. There was no wild humor or sarcasm in his voice. For a moment, Remus was talking to him again. 

'I know it is. And then this morning didn't make it much better.'

'I heard Molly screaming at someone.'

'It was me.'

'I should have known.'

'Did you hear anything of what she said?'

'Hardly.'

Padfoot sighed. He didn't want to relive it all, but he knew he would have to if he wanted to get this out of him, to stop it from eating him away. 'She started to say that if I didn't start being more responsible, Harry'd end up just like his parents.'

'Ouch.'

'Of course I didn't let her finish the sentence. Not in front of him-'

'Harry's used to being told that.'

Padfoot bit his tongue. 'She blamed it on me though. She said I wasn't responsible with him.'

'For bringing him out here?'

'Yes.'

'Is that all?'

'No. She...' He sighed. 'She said that, one day, something might happen to him and I wouldn't be there for him. She said I didn't know what it was like.'

'Well, do you?'

'Did you not comprehend anything that happened in Harry's fourth year?' Padfoot snarled. Moony was taken aback. 'Everything I told you?'

'I'm sorry! I didn't consider that...its just that...'

'She's right though. You know.' Padfoot stopped, sitting on the ground, his head hanging with his ears folded down. 'I'm not doing well with Harry. I don't do everything I should for him, and tonight I didn't even say anything to him. Moody wants to make him an Auror, and that's something Harry's always wanted to do. I didn't congratulate him or anything. I just walked off. I was too narrow sighted about what _I_ wanted. What _I_ was worried about.'

Moony smiled, biting his ear playfully. 

'I think...you're more concerned about Harry dying, then you are about him living.'

Padfoot cocked his head at an angle. 'You're right.' he smiled. 'You're absolutely right.'

'But Sirius,' he stated as the black dog turned. 'Don't think that isn't _too_ bad of a thing. Just remember, life comes before death. You want to be a part of his life, not watching from the sidelines, waiting for him to fall.'

He nodded his head.

'Thank Remus.'

'I guess you're leaving early?'

'Do you mind?'

'Not at all. I can keep myself out of trouble for a night. Tomorrow's the last day anyway, I'll be too tired to do much.'

Padfoot nodded and bound off, following Harry's scent.

***

He found the black dog that was Harry sitting in an open area, eyeing the trees with interest. Ron wasn't there, so Padfoot decided that that was what he was watching.

'Harry?' he barked gently. 

'Hello Sirius.' he greeted casually. 

'You...all right?'

There was some laughter in Harry's voice as he responded. 'Why wouldn't I be?'

'Well...I...thought I'd upset you earlier today.'

'No.' it was a plain lie. Made to be obvious. Sirius winced, though he knew it was well deserved. 

'I did.' he stated, sitting next to him, watching the odd cat move along the trees with incredible ease. 'Don't lie.'

'Okay. Maybe a little.'

'There. See.' he stopped, realizing how retarded he probably sounded. 'Err, Harry. I'm sorry about, neglecting you lately.'

'Neglecting?' Harry barked in laughter. 'You haven't _neglected_ me.'

'I have.'

'No. What you did is seem to dismiss what I wanted to do because it wasn't something you liked.' Harry looked into his eyes. 'I'm not my father. I'm not going to end up like him.'

'You can't promise that.' Sirius stated with a small growl. 

'You can never promise anything.' Harry stated. 'Nothing is guaranteed. But even if something should happen, Sirius, I don't like the idea that the only time we spent together, every moment of it you only feared when it was I was going to die.'

'More concerned with you dying than living?'

'It's amazing how well a werewolf can put things, isn't it?'

Sirius looked up. 'You heard?' Harry nodded. 'How much?'

'Everything.' Sighing, Sirius looked away. He was now somewhat angered with Harry. 'You have every right to be angry with me. But, some of that, I think I would have had the right to hear.' Sirius winced. That sentence, though said casually and meaningfully, cut him deep.

'I know. You're right.'

'But, its okay.' Harry stated with a sigh. His eyes had been, for a long time now, on Sirius. Both of them still in animagi form. 

'No, its not.'

'Yes it is.' Harry laughed. 'I don't care what anyone says.' he plowed under Sirius, tipping him over and pinning him to the ground. 'You're a fantastic godfather. And as far as being irresponsible, dad wouldn't have chosen you to watch over me if he thought you'd put me in more danger than I'd naturally attract to myself.'

Sirius smiled. He rolled over as Harry got off of him, and lunged. As Harry went down he pulled on Sirius' ear, causing him to call as well. As they nipped at each other and wrestled playfully, a werewolf and a cat watched from the brush, smiling.


	6. Auror Understudy Scorecards

**__**

~Auror Understudy Scorecards~

~Some Months Later~

****

'Well, now all we do is wait, right?' Ron asked for about the hundredth time. 

'_Yes_ Ron.' Hermione hissed. 'Would you stop, your making me nervous.'

'Yeah I can tell, your hair is graying!'

'RON!' Mrs. Weasley bellowed. 

Harry sat in stiff silence. He hadn't said anything in the last hour. They were sitting in the Grimmauld Place kitchen, awaiting the return of Moody and Tonks. 

'I think he's standing outside the doorway just to make us more anxious.' Ron gritted his teeth. Sirius smiled.

'I wouldn't be surprised.' 

At that statement, Ron's eyes went wide and he ran upstairs.

'He's actually looking!' Hermione cried in amazement, going after him.

'And so is she.' Remus laughed. 'Are you going too Harry?'

'Err, no.'

'You look pale, Harry.' Mrs. Weasley fussed. 

'He's nervous, Molly.' Sirius stated. 'Its natural.'

Ron and Hermione came barreling down the stairs looking agitated. 

'He wasn't there!' Ron breathed, sitting down heavily. Harry couldn't help but crack a smile. 

'Why don't the three of you go outside and get some fresh air?' Mrs. Weasley suggested. 

'And miss our Auror reports?' Ron nearly bellowed. 

'We'll give them to you when you arrive, that is if you're gone long enough. I don't want you coming back every five minutes to see if they've come yet.'

'All right.' Ron sighed. Harry stood. They exited out the back door of the upper level and walked around the block. 

'I can't believe this!' Ron hissed, clenching his fists. 'I know they know our scores already!' 

'How could they?' Hermione stated firmly, though her own expression was nervous, and Harry could have swore she was continuously glancing backward at the house, though it was gone from sight due to the charm around it. 

'Because that's how mum and dad are.'

'I think Hermione's right, Ron.' Harry stated, the first time he'd spoken with them present.

'Easy for the two of you to say! You both probably passed with flying colors! Me on the other hand-' he gulped. 'I probably failed everything.'

'Don't be stupid Ron. You did just fine.'

'But still, Hermione!' he argued. 'I don't want to know I made it just by the skin of my teeth either.'

'At least you'll have made it!' she stated. 'Isn't that what matters in the end?' 

There were a few auditory snaps behind them. All three of them turned.

'They're back!' Ron howled.

'All right, lets just make our way back calmly and-Ron! RON!' Hermione yelled, but he had already sprinted half way up the walk.

'You have them?' he cried breathlessly, reaching the small group in what Harry might have considered record time.

Moody smiled knowingly, with a wink at Harry. All his nerves settled at the knowledge that they all had to have passed.

'I do, young Mr. Weasley. But your parents get to see them first.'

'WHAT?' Ron bellowed. 

'Yes, that's right. Except for Miss Granger here. Seeing as to hers are absent, she gets the pleasure of seeing hers first.'

'That's not fair!' Ron argued. 

'Oh come off it! You probably did better than I did!'

She worked on opening hers, trying to be gentle about it, but Harry saw how her hands shook as she worked on breaking the seal. 

'And Mr. Potter, I'm afraid I have to hand this off to your godfather before you get to see it.'

Harry nodded. 

'Very well sir.'

'Good man.' Moody growled, and shuffled in. The rest of them following in his shadow. 

'The reports are here! As well as the kids!' Tonks announced cheerily. 

'You have Weasley to thank for that. Heard him shouting down the road I did.'

Ron blushed noticeably. Hermione was smiling over her reports.

'Well, let me see!' Harry whispered as Sirius was opening his own.

The Auror Understudy Scorecards were rated as such: There were a possible of ten grand points one could earn on each level based upon performance, cunning, stealth, speed, and overall handling of the situation presented to them, also called the H.O.S. rating. Along with that, there were ten different obstacles in which an Understudy was faced with where they would earn such ratings. No two obstacles were the same, no two levels were the same. That was just the way it went. It made the judging more interesting, and kept the Understudy on their toes, which was a grand part of what being an Auror was about. 

Harry looked over Hermione's scorecard with sudden fearfulness. She'd received mostly nine's, and only one ten. That had been in charming. Harry hadn't known what she'd faced in that level, but didn't bother to ask. His eyes went up to see Moody and Sirius talking over his Scorecard. Remus had stuck his head in, both of his eyebrows raising. Harry suddenly felt his stomach drop. That was either really good, or really bad. 

'WHAT!' he suddenly heard Ron bellow, his head hovering over his mother's shoulder. 'I got a five on my H.O.S. on the second obstacle!'

Moody smiled.

'Yes well, you did set yourself on fire in a panicked attempt to get away from the giant spider which, if you would have taken the time to notice, was only a boggart.'

Ron blushed, then turned slightly red in anger. Whether it was at Moody or himself, Harry couldn't say. Harry himself had thought he'd done quite well on his second obstacle. He'd faced a Dementor and had created a rather spectacular Patronus. When the Dementor had split into more, he'd also been able to do so to his Patronus. A neat trick he'd taught himself once, but had never been able to show Remus, the man who had originally taught him to make a Patronus to begin with. 

'Potter did exceptionally well on that one.' Moody stated, more out of his own pleasure than to embarrass Ron, though Harry was certain a rather venomous glance had been cast his way from behind Mrs. Weasley. 'That trick you did with the Patronus was also quite startling.'

'What was that?' Remus asked, his eyes lighting up at the mention. 

'Well, Potter also faced a boggart. When it turned into a Dementor, of course, the judges were thinking of maybe putting him through another run with something else. But Potter handled it just fine. What surprised me is that we had more than one boggart in there wanting to get a piece of him. When five of 'em started up, the judges started to close down, but Potter just smiled. Put his wand down, folded his hands together then pulled 'em apart, and the Patronus split! Right in two! The judges were absolutely astounded! Gave him some nice comments too.'

There were a few admirable looks glanced in Harry's direction. He felt the head rush to his face and turned to look at Sirius.

'So, how bad did I do?'

'BAD?' Moody growled. 'Bad? Potter you set the record!'

Sirius stood and placed the Scorecard in Harry's hand. His godfather leaned forward and whispered in his ear, though he comprehended little of it. He was looking down a row of complete tens and added comments of praise and satisfaction. Harry was left speechless. His godfather's arm wrapped tightly around his shoulders, beaming with pride.

**__**


	7. While They're Sleeping

**__**

~While They're Sleeping~

'All right, all the kids are in bed.' Mrs. Weasley stated, shuffling into the kitchen and sitting down once again beside her husband. 'What's your decision than, Moody?'

'Well, Granger and Potter are definitely fit for the job. Ron would have to endure some extra training, but he's got the makings for an Auror.'

Sirius thought he had caught Mrs. Weasley beaming. 

'So, what happens after this?'

'Well, they're rookies.' Tonks came in. 'They won't get too many assignments right off the bat, no matter how good their scorecards were.'

'So, what can we expect will happen to them for the mean time?' Arthur came in.

'For the moment? Nothing. They'll stay here, safe and sound.' There were a few auditory sighs of relief. 'The only way they'd be called in now is if there was a major attack at a Muggle facility or at the Ministry. The likelihood of that happening is pretty slim, however.'

'Slim. But not impossible.' Mood growled. 'I'd prefer to keep it quiet who our new Aurors will be. Someone could see that as an opportunity to drag us all out somewhere, so something to get the Ministry's attention and...well...'

'Lets..._not_ go there!' Arthur stated with a slight quavering in his voice.

'Indeed.' Sirius agreed. 'All right. So they won't be getting any, what one might consider a dangerous mission until they've come of a certain age in their career?'

'Right.' Moody growled again. 'That might be a while too, they've started pretty young. At only seventeen...there's not much out there the Ministry is willing to have them do. Looks bad if all the young kids are dying, you see.' There was a slight nervous shift throughout the room at his statement, but he didn't seem to notice. 'We send them on simpler stuff. Let them work out their skills...of course...I'd hardly say that the three of them haven't already faced what we normally put a rookie Auror up against. Basilisks, they've done that. A Death Eater here or there, they've done that, a fairer share than I'd like to admit. Thing is, they've faced more than some of our most elite Aurors.'

'Well, the Ministry doesn't advance people on past experiences before they ever had a career.' Mrs. Weasley stated with an air of certainty in her voice. 'That's just ridiculous.'

Sirius nodded, but an exchanged glance between Moody and Tonks made his blood chill. 

'So ridiculous, out _esteemed_ Minister is considering letting it count, and not just for our three little ones upstairs.'

'WHAT?!' Mrs. Weasley bellowed. 

'I know. We're doing what we can to convince Fudge otherwise.' Tonks started up in a hurry. Her eyes cast over to Sirius who had his cast downward. He seemed pale and slightly upset. She could understand why, of course. 'But he seems convinced that everything they've already faced makes them, well, a class of their own. I mean, you have to admit Mad-Eye, we never did what they did at their ages.'

'I'll admit it. But that doesn't matter.' Moody growled. 'But then again, its not fair to the children to say that it shouldn't. They didn't do all of that, I'm sure, to become Aurors here right now. It was out of bravery and caring,' he cast a look at Sirius. 'And Bravery is something the Aurors spend their entire lives building upon. Ask the young Longbottom. He's in extra training to be an Auror these days too. He's done his fair share of rescuing and had his own few brushes with death. Fudge is considering these options for him as well.'

'Neville isn't his father, however. A few lucky escapes will not help him as an Auror. He'll be hurt on the first day. Or worse.'

'I'd like Dumbeldore to talk to him.' Said Sirius. 'What would Dumbeldore say about what Fudge is considering doing?'

There was some silence, followed by a soft knock on the kitchen door. 

'Oh dear, someone's up.' Mrs. Weasley whispered. Immediately the kitchen went silent. Molly opened to door and gasped.

'I'm sorry to have startled you, Mrs. Weasley.' came an elderly, tender voice. 'May I come in?'

'Of course!' she stepped aside to allow Albus Dumbeldore inside. He looked as though he had aged only slightly over this summer. His beard was perhaps a quarter of an inch longer, along with his hair. His face, however, had lost none of its kindness. His robes were of a dark scarlet, green trimming and golden stars and moons sewed in intricate patterns.

'Dumbeldore?' Arthur whispered under his breath.

'I'm sorry to come to call so late at night.' he smiled. 'But I need to talk to you all. But first, I would like to talk to Sirius.'

'Me?' Sirius raised his eyebrows. 

'Yes, you.' his eyes glittered a bit in the light. 'An issue that I fear might concern you.'

Sirius stood, escorting the Headmaster into the same room he and Harry had often had their talks in. 

'You may sit.' Sirius invited. 

'Ah , thank you.' he settled himself in the same arm chair Harry sat in. Sirius sat across from him, his eyes keen and watching every movement of the old wizard.

'What was it you wished to talk to me about?'

'Well, I think you already have your suspicions. May I quell your uneasiness by saying "No." the Ministry is no closer to finding you than they are to much else these days, no matter what they say.' Sirius nodded, his eyes laughing. 'However, the news I bring may make you wish that were the greatest of you problems.'

At this, Sirius looked up. There was a great deal of concern in his eyes, and Sirius had only seen the wizard look like this when he was speaking of a particular someone. Someone, Sirius knew, they both cared for. He stayed in his chair, clutching the arms desperately. 

'Harry is in danger, Sirius.' Dumbeldore stated with an audible sigh.

'What kind of danger?' Sirius breathed.

'All sorts.' he looked down, a slight smile on his face. 'Voldemort has knowledge of what Harry has now become. His fear is growing. He knows Harry is becoming more powerful, more of a threat, a danger. He knows now where he's hiding.'

'How can he know about us?' Sirius breathed, though very weakly. 'How can he know about the Headquarters?'

'That, I do not know.' Dumbeldore shook his head. 'But I know, if we do not move Harry soon, he will come after all of you.'

'Move Harry?' Sirius raised an eyebrow. 'You mean, send him into hiding?' Dumbeldore nodded. Anger surged up within Sirius. 'Like we did with his parents?'

'In a sense.' Dumbeldore stated, already sensing Sirius' tension. 'A Secret Keeper would not be necessary-'

'Like _hell_ it wouldn't be necessary!' Sirius hissed angrily. 'If he's found Harry here without protective charms or spells he can find him anywhere else without one!'

Dumbeldore raised an eyebrow. 'I'm aware of that Sirius. I am. But I am confident that Harry would be quite safe if he went where I have planned.'

'Surely not back to his Uncle!' Sirius started, his blood running cold at the thought. 'You can't send him back there, they'll never take him in!'

'They would, with some persuasion of mine.' Dumbeldore nodded. 'But you needn't worry, for that was not my plan.'

'Then for God's sake man, what _is_ your plan? I'll not have you lug him out of this house away from my eye without knowing why and where.'

'Have you no trust in me, Sirius?' Dumbeldore asked, sounding more irritated than hurt.

'Trust isn't the issue, Dumbeldore. It never was. You know that.'

'Then what is?'

'The fact that all of you think you can just come in here and tell me how to raise my godson. He's my responsibility, and no one realizes this! I spent thirteen years in Azkaban, and four years after that risking everything to be there for him. Risking being caught and sent back, risking being killed, and people still tell me I'm not doing my job!' Sirius breathed. 'I don't want you to take him away and hide him like you did with Lilly and James. What if this happens all over again?'

'It won't, Sirius.' Dumbeldore stated calmly. 'You know better than to think so.'

'Do I?'

'Sirius, you've heard this too many times. Harry is not James.'

The man's head was rested in his hands again. 

'I can't lose him, Dumbeldore. Not when I've just gotten him back.'

At this, Dumbeldore stood. He rested his hand on Sirius' shoulder the same way Harry had, and for a moment he noted the incredible likeness between the two. 

'You won't, Sirius. I'll die first.' he turned, his eyes facing the door. 'Harry is awake upstairs right now. Tomorrow, I want you to tell him what I've told you. I'll be back to explain in further detail.'

Sirius nodded, his head still in his hands. Dumbeldore left him there, and bidding a joyful goodnight to the others, he slipped outside Grimmauld Place and into the night without a look back.

As the others stood in curious silence in the kitchen, Remus slipped into the dark study where Sirius sat, his head in his hands. 

'What's happened?' he asked. 

Slowly, Sirius relayed to his friend everything Dumbeldore had told him.


	8. Approaching Danger

**__**

~Approaching Danger~

Harry was awake well before most that morning, seeing only Sirius sitting at the breakfast table.

'Good morning.' Harry greeted. 

'Morning.' Sirius replied. 'Hungry?'

'Not really.' he sat across from Sirius, looking slightly tired.

'Sleep well?'

'Err, yeah.' he stated, rubbing his eyes. Then smiled. 'What sleep I got anyway.'

'Oh?'

'Why was Dumbeldore here last night?'

Sirius smiled. Nothing ever got past the kid. 

'He wanted to talk to me.' 

At this Harry perked up. 

'What's going on?' Sirius sighed, drumming his fingers on the table casually. Harry raised his eyebrow, awaiting a response. When he didn't get one, he cleared his throat. 'Is the Ministry on to you?'

'Hmm? Oh, no.' Sirius was rather startled. A look of relief swept over Harry's face. 

'Then what?'

'He'll be coming back later to talk to the both of us.' Sirius nodded his head as he spoke, though he wasn't sure why. He'd tempted himself to take down a few shots of bourbon later last night, now he was wishing he had. 

Harry shook his head in an attempt to wake himself up more, but it didn't work. He only succeeded in making the room spin slightly. 'You're up early.' Sirius stated after a while. 

'Yeah, maybe.' Harry muttered. 

'It's half past five.' his godfather reminded him.

'_You're_ up.' Harry reminded him. 

'Yeah...well...' Sirius trailed off, looking away. A soft knock on the door upstairs nearly caused him to spill his tea. 'Be right back.' he stated. He looked slightly worried as made his way to the door, but Harry brushed it off as being lack of sleep. Harry knew why Dumbeldore had come, but he'd wanted to see if Sirius would tell him anything. 

A few moments later, Albus Dumbeldore and Sirius were entering the basement kitchen again. Harry stood and shook his old Headmaster's hand. 

'Congratulations on making the Auror position, Harry.' Dumbeldore smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling. 

'Thank you, sir.' Harry smiled back, feeling very awkward.

'Can I get you anything, Dumbeldore?' Sirius asked, shuffling nervously around the kitchen. 

'No, Sirius. Thank you. Please, sit down. I need to talk to the both of you before the others wake up.'

Harry sat, Sirius taking the seat next to him. Dumbeldore sat across from the both of them, his face looking worry worn and tired.

'Harry, how much did you hear last night?' Dumbeldore started immediately.

'That you want to send me into hiding.'

The old man nodded. 'That's right. What do you think?'

Harry raised an eyebrow. His eyes never left Dumbeldore's. 'Personally sir, I don't care for the idea too much.' he was surprised to see the old man smile. 

'I know you don't Harry. I would not like to take you from here anymore than you would want to leave. But I fear it is your safety that must come first.'

'What _exactly_ am I in danger of, sir, that I wasn't before?'

He heard Sirius snort at his side, though it was well contained. Dumbeldore was also seemingly entertained by the question. He smiled kindly.

'Well, Harry. I fear that Voldemort has come to know how powerful you are becoming. He has regarded you as a threat, almost equal to myself if I might say so.' Harry nodded, beckoning Dumbeldore to continue. 'He knows where you are, and-'

'Wait!' Harry interjected. 'He knows I'm here?' Dumbeldore nodded. 'Then wouldn't that be a danger to everyone else?' His old headmaster shook his head.

'Not if _you_ are the only one he's after.'

'But, to-' 

'He would know I would not risk anyone here as a Secret Keeper.'

'To bring me out of hiding, he'd know to get someone here.' Harry stated at last. At this, Dumbeldore raised his eyebrows. They remembered well what had nearly cost many of them their lives in Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, and what in the end had lead them out there. Dumbeldore sighed. Sirius could only rest his head on his palm and watch as the topic was debated from side to side. 'He knew last time, sir.'

Dumbeldore nodded.

'A risk, Harry, I fear we would have to take.'

'You mean _I_ would have to take.'

Dumbeldore sighed, looking suddenly very weary. 'Harry, you do not realize exactly what he has coming for you. _All_ the Death Eaters bent to his will, giants, trolls, goblins, and other things of a less than savory nature that I would not name with my own tongue. You are in terrible danger, Harry. And though it despairs your godfather to see you off, I know he would have you safe first.'

Harry looked to Sirius, he appeared as equally weary as Dumbeldore. 

'He's right Harry. I trust Dumbeldore, and I would not see you harmed. You should go.'

Harry sighed. After everything, looking forward to training as an Auror, being a member of the Order, and now he would have to throw it all away. He was angry, but would not be so selfish as to disappoint his godfather.

'Very well. But as long as I can still have contact with Sirius and everyone else here.'

Dumbeldore nodded. 

'I would not be so unkind as to take that away from you.'

***

It was all too soon that Harry found himself packing to leave the family he had. He hated Dumbeldore for dragging him away from everything that was so strong and secure to him. And there was a feeling of dread that he carried in his stomach, especially as he said goodbye to Remus and Sirius. They'd done this before, he knew. Saying goodbye to a friend of there's, who was going into hiding from Voldemort and his followers. 

'Take care of yourself Harry.' Remus whispered, pulling Harry into a strong embrace. 'Be careful.'

'I will. Take care. Keep Sirius in line.' Remus laughed. 

'You will write to us, won't you?' Hermione begged as she wrapped her arms around him, unwilling to let go.

'Of course.' Harry stated. 

'Be careful.'

He turned to Ron, who raised an eyebrow and a crooked smile at the same time.

'You'll be fine.' He said, embracing Harry casually.

'See you soon!' he laughed. Mrs. Weasley gave him a tearful embrace, and Mr. Weasley shook his hand.

'If you need something Harry, let us know.'

'Oh, thank you.' 

Lastly, he turned to Sirius. They embraced for what felt like forever, and yet at the same time wasn't long enough. 

'I'll write often.' Harry promised.

'Just be careful. Any sign of danger, tell either me or Dumbeldore.' he leaned in closer. 'You still have my mirror too.' Harry nodded. He'd packed it, just in case. 'I might run up and check on you sometimes too. Look for a big black dog.'

Harry smiled brightly. The sound of company was a pleasing one, though he doubted Dumbeldore would permit it. 

'I will. See you soon.'

Sirius smiled. 'See you.'

With that, Harry stepped into Dumbeldore's shadow, and together they disappeared, tearful faces waving back at him.

***

The house was small, yet rather cozy, with a slight sense of familiarity to it. All his things had a place, and for that he was glad. Dumbeldore had left him alone at the door, disapparating in a quick flash and an audible snap. Sighing, Harry had stepped inside to see a very nice room, decorated modestly. It was, in truth, more than he had expected. Hedwig hooted on his shoulder, and sailed away to a perch that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. 

Collapsing comfortably onto the soft green couch, Harry breathed a sigh. For a fleeting moment, he believed everything would be all right. As he started to unpack, the first thing Harry took care of was Sirius' mirror. He placed it lovingly beside his bed, on a small stand. Then he second guessed and slipped it cozily into the little drawer. 

'Well, there's one thing.' he mumbled. He turned to unpack his clothes next, finding that he had just enough space for everything, including a closet where his trunk fit just right. He placed his wand beside his bed, then lie down. When he closed his eyes, he dreamt of tomorrow. 

***

Sirius awoke the next morning to find it unusually sunny. Rather unbefitting, knowing that Harry was no longer here. With a sigh, he rose, and was slightly startled to see Hedwig sitting on one of the masts of the footboard. She hooted casually and nestled herself at his side, showing him her leg. A letter was packed tightly in her foot. He smiled and pat her head while sitting back and reading. 

__

Dear Sirius,

So far its quite nice here. Pretty boring though, and unusually quiet. It's amazing how much you start to miss Mrs. Weasley yelling at someone, or Fred and George's explosions upstairs, or the occasional wailing of your mum's picture even. I think the silence will probably drive me mad. 

Anyway, tell everyone I said hello please? I miss everyone already. I look forward to getting back as soon as possible, and doing a little more than sitting around. I have a fireplace here, I might decided to contact everyone via that later if its possible. If not, then of course expect a lot of letters. 

Well, I guess you'll be hearing from me soon. 

Love, Harry.

Sirius lay back, rereading the letter to himself with a soft smile. Hedwig hooted at his side. 

'You can wait here. I'll write Harry tonight, let him know how things are going.'

Sure enough, Sirius was true to his word. As everyone else shifted off to bed, Sirius scribbled a letter to his godson by candlelight, not leaving out a single detail about the day.

***

Harry was pouring over an old book when Hedwig fluttered into the room. She looked tired, a mouse in her beak and a letter in her foot. He scratched her head as a reward for her catch, and she flew cheerily to her perch. Harry, however, decided to dig into the letter he'd received. It was from Sirius.

__

Dear Harry,

I'm sorry you're so bored. If its an consolation to you, I know just how you feel. Perhaps I could come and visit you this weekend? I'll have to talk to Dumbeldore obviously, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Maybe I could bring Ron and Hermione over as well? 

Mrs. Weasley sends her love, and hopes that you'll stay safe. She's still going around bellowing at innocent bystanders now and again, but since you're not here to sneak out anymore she's calmed down a bit. She cares for you, I can tell. 

Fred and George set their room afire today, if you'd like to know. I'm not quite sure what they were doing, but no one was hurt and it wasn't anything a few of us couldn't handle. Which is good. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all send their best wishes and concerns. I must say, I think Ron's little sister likes you. (at this Harry went slightly red in the face)_ But I'll stay out of it. Hagrid came by for a visit today, he said he was sorry he missed you, but hopes you'll be all right. He left something for you, its as heavy as a rock, but he claimed it was food. I do hope you soften it with something before you take a bite of it, George nearly chipped a tooth sneaking a bite of it._

Other than that, nothing much happened. A visit from Snape, but that's less than joyous news. I'm glad to hear from you, and I hope to hear more in the future. Stay safe and be careful. I'll talk to Dumbeldore about a visit.

Love, Sirius.

Harry sat back and sighed. Maybe this hiding thing wouldn't be so bad after all. 

Then again, this was just his first day in hiding.


	9. Christmas Letters and Rotten Gifts

**__**

~Christmas Letters and Rotten Gifts~

~Some Months Later~

'Have you heard from Harry?'

'No. I had hoped to before sending him a Christmas Card.' Sirius replied to Mrs. Weasley's question. 

'Oh, I'm sure Hedwig is on her way right now. That owl of his can make anything.'

'Yeah.' Sirius smiled, though sadly. 'I wish Harry could come out for Christmas. That would be nice.'

'Oh it would be, wouldn't it? The kids miss him terribly! What a wonderful present...maybe we should talk to Dumbeldore?'

'I don't know if he'd be to keen on allowing that after that little stunt you and Harry pulled in November.' Remus came in with a sly smile. 'I can't believe he talked you into that one.'

'I know.' Sirius smiled laughingly. 'Well, we both wanted to get out. You know? None of you know what its like to be cooped up in a house like we are.'

Mrs. Weasley looked down at her teacup. Remus sighed.

'How long has it been since you last heard from him?'

'Earlier this month. Why?'

Remus shook his head, but there was something that flashed behind his eyes. Sirius couldn't put his finger on it, and for a moment he wasn't sure he wanted to. He moved to say something, but there was a rush of footsteps from upstairs that made them all go silent. Before they knew what was happening, Tonks had nearly flown into the kitchen basement, her face red from the cold air outside. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and the only words coming out of her mouth was:

'Something's happened.'

***

Harry was washing some dishes by hand. He was too bored to do it by magic. Hedwig hooted on her perch behind him. 

'You want to go out?' he asked. He'd made it a habit of talking to her more than usual. She was all the company he had. She hooted again. 'I know I need to write them all a Christmas Greeting. I'll get to it.' She stopped, that seemed to satisfy her enough. As he put the last cup away, Harry sat down at the table and bit at the feather tipping of his quill. He started to write something along the lines of 'Dear Sirius, Weasleys, Moody, Remus, and Tonks' but something outside startled him, causing him to leave a drawl line at the end of the last name. He sighed, rolling his eyes at himself and continuing on with the letter. But suddenly it happened again. It was at his front door, he knew, and it seemed to follow down toward the window. Hedwig hooted precariously, her eyes gazing intently at her master as he approached the window. He looked outward on the field of new fallen snow. There was nothing there....at first.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, cloaked figures started to approach, brandishing wands. Other's followed that were not wizards. Tall, carrying clubs and grumbling inadequately at their captors. Harry's heart began to beat. He'd been found. There was also a slight tingling in his scar that told him there just might be more than Death Eaters out there. He didn't have much time left. Quickly Harry dashed back to the table and tore a new piece of parchment and scribbled frantically. When the door was blown from its hinges, he knew he'd run out of time.

'Hedwig!' he hissed when he had finished. She flew over, hooting frantically. 'Take this to Sirius. Don't come back. I won't be here.' She looked up at him worriedly. 'I'll be fine.' he stated. He pat her head and scratched her beak for what he was certain would be the last time. He flew outside into the cold and tossed her high into the air. When he knew she made it safely away, he transformed into the big, black dog that was so similar to Sirius and bound off toward the forest.

***

'What do you mean something's happened?' Sirius asked fretfully as Tonks collapsed into a chair. She was shaking and pale, no one had ever seen her this bad before. 

'At the Ministry. There's been an attack.'

'Where's Moody?' Remus demanded.

'I don't know. He told me to come and warn you, I didn't see him after that.'

'Why to warn us?'

Tonks was taking in deep breaths, apparently trying to keep her head. 'Because he thinks there's more to this than what was seen.'

Ron and Hermione came running in looking fretfully pale and worried. 

'What's happened?' Ron demanded in a similar tone to Remus. 

'There's been an attack at the Ministry.' Sirius repeated. 

'Is dad all right?' Ron asked.

'You're father is fine!' Tonks breathed. 'I threw him into the fireplace to Dumbeldore's office. He's fine. Should be arriving-'

'MOLLY!' came a bellowing voice from upstairs. It was Arthur.

'There!' Tonks breathed. Arthur came flying down the stairs looking frightful. Moody followed him with a noticeable limp, an even deeper chunk taken out of his nose, and a scratch over his brow. Dumbeldore was well behind him, along with McGonagall, and Snape. Sirius sneered at the site of Harry's Potion's Master, but when Dumbeldore started talking everyone focused in.

'The Ministry has been attacked.' Dumbeldore relayed to them all. 'No lives have been lost. In fact, I would say this is one of the weakest attempts Voldemort has ever thrown at us.'

'What does this mean?' Ron asked, looking to his parents for relief. 

'I believe they were trying to distract us.' said Dumbeldore immediately. His eyes were ablaze with angry fire, but his face was calm when he spoke with those around him. 

'Distract us?' Came Remus.

'From what?' Tonks shot. 

'I've too many suspicions, and not the energy to sort through them all tonight.' his eyes cast to Sirius, the fire dying away. He looked as though he were starting to say something when an audible crack echoed from the upstairs floor. Another soon sounded, and afterward a crash of glass.

'Someone's broken in.' Moody growled. 

'No...' Sirius stated. A white blur soared into the room silently, landing on the table. 

'Hedwig?' Mrs. Weasley mouthed wordlessly. Ron dove for the owl, seeing the letter on her leg, but she jumped up and flew directly into Sirius' arms. She nipped and hooted frantically as he pulled the letter from her leg. 

'Who is it from?' Ron whispered as if anything louder might break the atmosphere.

'Harry, no doubt.' Hermione breathed. 

Sirius unfolded the parchment, surprised at how short it was. When he finished, his hands shook convulsively. Dumbeldore rushed to grab the letter from his hand. He turned to the others an read it aloud.

__

Sirius, or any at Grimmauld Place who find this,

Its Harry. I've been found. I don't know how, but I have. I'm severely outnumbered, so I cannot say much. I told Hedwig to stay with you, I hope her presence isn't a burden. If all goes well I'll...

'I'll what?' Ron demanded.

'Nothing.' Dumbeldore responded. 'It ends there.' There was a strong, sturdy silence, broken by nothing but Sirius' ragged breathing. 'I'm going to see what has happened.'

'I'm coming too.' Sirius stated, pulling himself erect. 'I don't care what happens.'

'So are we!' Said Ron, Hermione, and Ginny simultaneously. Remus stood behind the both of them, one hand the eldest shoulders.

'As am I.' he stated. 

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley nodded. Snape breathed a sigh while McGonagall nodded her head at Dumbeldore. Tonks took one more deep breath and nodded her own head whilst Moody stood.

'Well, lets get going then.' he growled.

***

As one they apparated, a deafening snap echoed through the house, though there were none around to hear it, save maybe a flustered Hedwig. When the large group reached the house by Dumbeldore's directions, they stopped dead in their tracks. What lay before them was a collapsed heap of rubble, what was left whole burned to the ground as they stared. 

'No.' Sirius breathed. 'Not again...'

Remus stood behind him, but heard none of it. For a split moment, he faced his own trauma. Ron and Hermione faced what they believed was all that remained of their best friend. Ginny stood, biting her lip, trying hard to fight back tears. Mrs. Weasley had one hand around her daughter, another closed over her mouth. Her eyes gazing frightfully into the licking flames that seemed to mock them all, saying that they were too late. Arthur wrapped both of his arms around his wife, trying to shush her weeping. McGonagall stood open mouthed and wide eyed beside Dumbeldore. Snape's face was expressionless.

'He's not here.' Dumbeldore said at once. 'He's gone.'

What would have been sighs of relief transformed into breaths of terror. 

'Do they have him, Albus?' McGonagall asked inching closer to him. 

'It is, a possibility Minerva.'

Sirius stepped closer to the fire than any of them, his eyes watching the flames. He could hear the laughter in his head, the same laughter that he'd heard seventeen years ago when he had stood before the burning ruins of Lilly and James' house. It wasn't possible that this was happening to him all over again. Harry had to be alive, he had to be. Two strong hands gripped him hard around the shoulders. He'd been walking right into the flames without even realizing it. He turned, expecting to see Remus' eyes staring into his own. Instead, he saw Snape's.

'Killing yourself won't bring him back.' He snarled. 

Sirius turned to the man with bitter contempt in his eyes. A snarl escaped his lips, but he didn't listen. Immediately he transformed into the black dog and combed the ground, his nose never once coming up from the snow. He could catch the scents of a dozen different Death Eaters, and the bitter, morbid scent of a Mountain Troll. He could smell burning wood and cloth from the fire before him, and another scent. He caught Harry's animagi scent within a few moments and followed it ravenously. Voices called out after him, but he paid them no mind, even as Ron and Hermione and Ginny followed around him in their own animagi form, trying desperately to find what he had. 

He ignored them however, and continued to follow the scent. He rummaged through the snow, following, until he came upon a deep hole in the snow where it looked like an animal about Sirius' size had fallen hard. The snow was dyed crimson red in some places. Sirius sniffed again. It was Harry's blood. Whimpering and growling at the same time, he continued to comb the snow. Another trace of Harry's scent was some distance away, with paw prints leading from the stained snow. Remus had caught up with him and observed the scene. He whispered something under his breath but Sirius was still paying little attention to anything else. 

The scent mingled with that of a troll, and something else he couldn't detect. It reeked of death and vileness. It caused him to growl bitterly, making even the kids back away in fear. Voldemort had been here. He'd come with the others to personally see to Harry's demise. Sighing bitterly, he lost the trail upon entering the forest. He appeared from the brush as his human self, looking disgruntled and aggravated, and pale.

'Anything Sirius?' Remus asked. 

'Yes. There were Death Eaters. A troll. And Voldemort was here.' he ignored the few winces from the Weasley's. 'That blood there is Harry's. He fell there, but continued on into the forest. Voldemort followed him, but I lose the trail soon after that.'

Dumbeldore approached the pair, his face looking worn.

'Harry has been captured.' He stated, not meeting Sirius' eyes. 'I can tell you that.'

'We have to do something!' Sirius started, leaving their presence. Remus followed desperately. 

'Sirius, we can't just waltz off and start from scratch. If we're going to find Harry, we're going to need to slow down and think!' Sirius ignored him, until two hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him around. Remus' eyes were ablaze with anger and fright. 'YOU CAN'T JUST WALK OUT OF THIS AND THINK YOU CAN FIND HIM ON YOUR OWN SIRIUS!' he hollered. It was the first time anyone had ever seen Remus shout. Or even become angry. 'VOLDEMORT HAS HARRY! YOU'LL NEVER FIND HIM JUST WALKING AROUND LONDON! HE'S NOT GOING TO LEAD YOU THERE! YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE YOUR BRAIN SIRIUS!'

'AND WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW?' Sirius bellowed back, pushing Remus off of him. 'FOR ALL YOU KNOW HE'S ALREADY DEAD!'

'YES I'VE THOUGHT OF THAT SIRIUS!' Remus shouted back, he looked as if he were trying to hold back tears. 'YOU CAN'T IMAGINE! HE MAY BE YOUR GODSON, BUT HE WAS _MY FRIEND'S _SON TOO! JAMES WAS MY BROTHER TOO! WE HAVE TO FIND HARRY, I KNOW, BUT WE MUST DO IT INTELLIGENTLY! THIS IS JUST WHAT THE DARK LORD WANTS! WE'LL LOSE OUR HEADS AND THEREFORE FORSAKE ALL CHANCES OF FINDING HIM! YOU CAN'T DO THAT SIRIUS! IT'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO!'

There was silence. Awed silence. Then at last, Sirius nodded. 

'Very well. But any leads, and I'm with the first people there.' he looked to Dumbeldore and the others. 'There's _no_ way you're keeping me locked up this time. I'm helping.'

Dumbeldore nodded.

'You have every right, Sirius.'

With that, they disapparated back to Grimmauld Place, beginning already to formulate plans.

***

A large black dog ran clumsily through the forest. No one was pursing him, but he knew it was only a matter of time before something caught him. He couldn't stop. By now all in Grimmauld Place had gotten his letter. Whether they'd come to his aide or stay behind in hopes of a return message, he didn't know. He couldn't risk going back however, to find out. He'd send another owl when he got the chance. But for now, Harry Potter was on the run.


	10. Thoughts and Regrets

**__**

~Thoughts and Regrets~

Remus sat in a small office held in a shabby building where Diagon Alley met Knockturn Alley. He was supposed to be writing a report on something to send to the Ministry, though he highly doubted they'd take it into too much consideration. Umbridge still had the Decree up against half breeds. Remus Lupin's name was about where Albus Dumbeldore's had been three years ago. He sighed, forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. The alert was up that Harry was missing, and Fudge had stated, though shakily, that he would do what he could to find the boy. Remus believed otherwise, but it was better than nothing. A sudden thought occurred to him, and he began rummaging through a drawer in his desk. He finally came across what he'd been searching for. A twenty year old black and white photograph of James, Sirius, and himself, all of them standing before the Whomping Willow, though at a safe distance. Peter had been in the image as well, but had awkwardly enough disappeared. James had stepped between the remaining two and wrapped an arm around his and Sirius' neck, strangling them playfully. Remus smiled, James had always snuck behind them and done that. He remembered on one occasion Remus had been working on a paper, James had come up behind him and wrapped his arms around his neck, causing ink to spill down the both of their robes and the report. 

He smiled, placing the picture back in its protective drawer. No one, not even Sirius, knew he had this picture. He cast one more look at the man in the middle, his likeness so similar to Harry it was mortifying. Remembering what Sirius had said, what Harry had told him the day they'd decided to induct him and the others into the Order, made him squirm uncomfortably in his chair. He remembered the day James came to become a member, and Lilly too. Sirius had begged him not to, but James was too much like him. He wasn't going to sit back and watch others die in his defense. He remembered exactly what James had told them. _'Everything turns out the way it is meant to in the end. I understand there are risks. Sacrifices even. But you can't expect me to sit around and watch the rest of you do something?'_

Sighing, Remus stood. His work here was done for the night. He could think of nothing to say to the Ministry. At least nothing that correlated with what his report concerned. He could think of a few things to tell Fudge, like shoving his wand up his...Remus shook his head. He'd told himself long ago that he'd never let his emotions get the best of him. Like he had the other night with Sirius. He'd had his reasons, the both of them had. But he knew he was right. All of them losing their heads over Harry, they'd never get anything done. Rash decisions led to rash ends. 

Like a ghost Remus trailed the hallway till he came out into the Alley. He journeyed through until a tap on his shoulder distracted him. He turned to see Kingsley smiling at him.

'I heard.' he said with a sympathetic smile. 'I'm sorry.'

Remus nodded. 'Thanks.'

They embraced quickly.

'We'll find him. I won't let Fudge drop the case.'

'I know.'

He headed back down the alley, coming through the Leaky Cauldron without so much as casting a glance either way. As he reached the Muggle infested streets, he smiled at himself. Then, finding the empty alley that was always at the Cauldron's left side, he stepped in and apparated.

***

Ron sat on his bed, staring scornfully at his shoes, though he wasn't sure why. A soft voice echoed from behind the door. He said nothing, knowing that they'd come in anyway. He was right. Hermione stepped in softly, followed by a disgruntled and upset Ginny. 

'How are you doing?' Hermione asked, resting on Harry's bed.

'How do you think?' he shot back bitterly. There was a long period of silence in which all Ron could sense was Hermione and Ginny looking apprehensively back and forth at each other. 'What did you want to tell me?' he asked after a while, his voice no less bitter.

'I've...been given the opportunity by the Ministry to...err...assist the search for Harry.'

'What?' Ron looked up, for the first time something sparkled in his eyes. 

'I've...been given the opportunity to assist in the search of Death Eaters...questioning as to where Voldemort is and...maybe in my spare time question them about Harry.'

'When is this starting?'

'This weekend.' she stated anxiously. 'And...they're sending me to Europe.'

'WHAT!?!' Ron bellowed. 

'They've found loads of them, scurrying around in the nighttimes, in the streets. They want me to assist in capture and detaining them. They think my...work and experience and...overall...skill...it would be good for me... and Ron its a chance to find Harry!'

Ron was gripping the comforter on his bed with alarming strength and frustration. The color in his face was building so that Ginny moved to the edge of his bed.

'And what...am _I_ doing?'

'They...haven't said anything Ron. I can ask but-'

'No.' he stated, sternly. His eyes did not come up to meet hers. 'Go. Find Harry.'

'Ron, please...you understand how important this is-'

'Go.' There was some more silence before Hermione finally stood to leave. Ginny, however, stayed. 'What do you want?' he snapped. She took a few sharp intakes of breath before starting.

'Ron. What do you think will happen to Harry?'

Ron sighed. He knew Ginny cared about Harry as much as he did, though in a different way. 

'I don't know Ginny.'

'Do you think he'll make it?'

Ron shrugged. He had faith in Harry's skill and ability. He'd gotten straight tens on his Auror Understudy Scorecard, for God's sake. Harry could definitely handle himself. But there was still that fear that Voldemort might be able to do something to him that none of them had planned. He shook his head violently in a desperate attempt to rid it of these thoughts. As he did, Ginny rested her head in his shoulder, tears trickling silently down her pale cheeks. 'I'm worried.' she whispered. 'I don't want anything to happen to him. What if we never see him again?' Ron felt a slight pang of guilt. He wrapped his arms lovingly around his little sister.

'We will.' he whispered into her ear. 'Harry's strong, and smart, and brave. He'll make it through this. I bet you at the end he's going to appear on the porch with a stupid smile and a few scratches, asking if he can come in.' Ginny struggled not to laugh, but she needed it badly. A smile cracked across her pale features bringing some color to her face. 

'I'd like that.'

'Yeah. And after the happy reunion I'll have to pummel him.'

She laughed again, though was slightly disconcerted, for he hadn't sounded very droll.

'You won't. I won't let you.' she smiled.

'I know.'

***

Sirius could not open his eyes in the darkened study on the top story of the house. His mid drifted elsewhere, to memories long since past. Always he tried to bring back those which were good, those that would make the pain and the terror go away. But somehow, the images transformed before him into things he did not want to remember. 

The day he'd been thrown into Azkaban. The day James and Lilly went into hiding. The day he'd run away from home. The day he'd come upon the Potter's home to find it empty of life, all save Harry, who was only taken away from him later on in that already dark night. 

Painful memories he did not want to recall, only in the end to have it all end up on the day he and Harry met face to face. He'd never intended on doing so when he had started out. Sirius had only wanted to kill Peter, and then leave Harry alone to a quiet life that was safe. He had been so certain Harry had been told Sirius was the reason his parents were dead. For thirteen years, it had to have been molded into his head beyond acceptance. When they'd met, how he'd called Sirius a murderer. How his green eyes, so like Lilly's, had burned into him with deep hatred and loathing. But that had changed when Peter had admitted to everything he'd done. The loathing and hate had changed. He'd accepted it. That had been the greatest moment in Sirius' adult life. Harry had accepted him as his godfather, and had been more than willing to start life anew. Sirius had planned so much that they could do together, but that hope had been dashed when Peter had managed to escape, just from underneath their noses. 

A hand rested gently on his shoulder. For a fleeting moment he thought of James, or Harry, but found it to be Remus.

'How are you doing?' he asked, sitting across form him. 

'Miserable. Have you heard anything?'

Remus shook his head. 'Kingsley said he wouldn't allow Fudge to drop the case. Other than that, nothing.'

'So everyone knows now?' 

'Naturally.'

Sirius nodded, again letting his head rest in his hands. Remus sat in quiet expectation, awaiting his words. There was a long silence, however, in which Remus could hear the shuffling of Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Upstairs, the twins were at their experiments again. He could also hear the quiet whispers of Ron and Ginny. Hermione was in her room packing for Europe. He'd heard of her first assignment, but had yet to say anything to her. He heard the wind shifting outside, and the impatient hooting of a snowy white owl in the sitting room. Other than that, all was silent, save for the two men's breathing and the crackling fire. 

'What do you think?' Sirius asked at last, causing him to stir out of his trance. 

'I'm sorry?'

'What do you think?'

'About what?' he raised an eyebrow. There was a lot to have an opinion about. 

'Do you think he'll make it?'

Remus nodded. 'Of course I do. How could he not? He's seen himself out of worse, I'm sure.'

Sirius rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. 'I've tried not to dwell on these thoughts. Tried to keep my mind on other things...' he sighed, looking up at Remus with swollen red eyes. 'It always draws back to him.'

'I know. It hurts. It's aggravating. No one knows anything.' Remus left his chair and kneeled at Sirius'. 'But you must take comfort in what you know. He's strong. He's smart. He's a quick thinker, and can easily escape Voldemort's grasp and eye as long as he keeps his head. And, if you ask me,' he stood. 'Harry's better at doing that than most.'

The man in the chair laughed. It was a nice feeling. 

'Yeah.'

He laid a hand on Sirius' shoulder once more.

'Get some rest.' he stated gently, then left the room.

***

'How's he doing?' Mrs. Weasley asked, her eyes followed Remus all the way to the chair he collapsed into.

'Not well.'

'He's been locked up in there all day.'

'I know.'

'I'm worried about him.'

'Well, Molly, you must realize...Harry is more his son than his godson, he's acting just like any parent would. And him being powerless doesn't help him at all.'

'No, I would think not.' She sighed, sitting down on the table. 'Poor man.'

Remus sighed once more. Exhaustion was easing into his limbs, causing everything to go numb. He fell asleep within a few moments, leaving Mrs. Weasley to ponder their situation alone at the table. 

***

Harry lay in the forest, still as an animagi. His right leg and left side were bleeding, though not heavily to cause worry. He wasn't sure where to go, or whether it was safe to leave the forest yet. Limping and growling in pain, he started back toward the house. If he got captured, so be it.


	11. Short Contacts

**__**

~Short Contacts~

It had to have been three a.m. when Sirius greeted Kingsley at the door of Grimmauld Place. The man looked tired and worn, in desperate need of sleep and food. Sirius feared the man might collapse where he stood had it not been for the rabid glimmering in his eyes. 

'Has something happened?' he asked as Kingsley stumbled through the threshold.

'No! No, no, no, quite the opposite really!' he mumbled all the way into the sitting room. Sirius followed him. Kingsley refused eat or drink, or sleep even, and started right in on his finds. 'We found some! About fifty of them in a vicinity underground. In Paris!'

'Found what?'

'Death Eaters, Sirius! An entire society of them, right beneath a muggle train station! Fifty! Can you imagine?'

'When is the Ministry going to raid, then?'

'Well, we're contacting other trustworthy sources as I speak, warning the Magical Community in the area to steer clear. They've got Ministry workers already dispatched, of course, but we want to make sure we have enough power behind everything we've got. We don't get chances like this everyday, Sirius!'

'Why are you telling me this? I don't work for the-'

'Sirius! Think! Fifty Death Eaters! Someone must know something about what happened with Harry!' Kingsley then cut himself short, wondering if maybe he'd pressed a button, as if saying his name might send Sirius into a fit of some sort. But he looked Kingsley directly in the eye, his own sparkling with hope.

'I know you'll do what you can.' Sirius stated. 'I know Miss Granger is one of the Aurors they'll be sending out there, am I correct?' Kingsley nodded. Sirius sat in some thought. 'Look after her. Other than that, do what you can.'

Kingsley stood.

'I thought you'd like to know.'

'I'm not getting my hopes up.' Sirius bit his cheeks. 'But thank you Kingsley. Very much.'

'Even though this isn't my department.' he laughed. 'These ears do catch things from time to time what they're not supposed to. I rushed over to tell you.'

Smiling, Sirius stood.

'Again, I thank you. I know the Ministry will do what they can.'

Kingsley nodded his head and left. Making his way to his room, Sirius struggled to keep his head up. He couldn't do it. The weight of everything was pulling him down. He leaned against a wall and tried desperately to rid himself of thoughts and fears, and hope. _You stupid fool you know better than to hope._ A voice always told him. _Hope forsake you long ago. Your faith is in vein. Accept he is dead and go on with your failure._

'I will not.' he whispered. 'Not yet, not this soon.'

***

Hermione was gone the next day, leaving Ron and Ginny (who was home for the holidays from her last year at Hogwarts) alone with Fred and George. The four of them stayed upstairs, experimenting on each other with new candies. George had created a rather interesting new tasty called Coma Cakes in which the person taking one would fall comatose for a certain period of time. For how long depended on how much you took of the cake, which was roughly the size of a Snitch.

Downstairs, Arthur and Molly Weasley were cleaning up the remains of breakfast. Sirius was talking quietly with Remus in the next room.

'Kingsley arrived _that _early just to tell you about some new leads on the Ministry?' Remus asked, sounding disgruntled.

'Yes, and I-'

But they were all interrupted by a strong, echoing knock on the door. They all waited, and then it came again. Sirius erupted from the sitting room with Remus looking proud.

'It worked!' he stated.

'What did?' Molly asked.

'The silencing charm I put on Mother's portrait.' he laughed, rushing to the door. Who was standing there was quite a surprise.

'I came as soon as I 'eard I did!' it was Hagrid, the Hogwarts game keeper.

'Heard what?' Remus asked, standing some distance from the door so as to allow the giant of a man in. 

'Bout Harry, o'course!' he looked disgruntled and frustrated. 'Yeh ain't heard nothin' from 'im at all after, have yeh?'

'Nothing.' Sirius stated. He'd hoped to avoid conversational topics like this for at least the rest of the weekend. He sighed, looking forward to Christmas and the opportunity to down some alcoholic beverages. 

'Nothin'? What's the Ministry doin'?'

'All they can, so they say.' Remus stated. 'Hagrid you shouldn't be coming out in public, you're risking you're-'

'I don' care bout none o' that crap!' he snarled. 'I just wanted to know if yeh'd heard anythin' is all.' he puffed himself up. 'Where's Ron n' Hermione?'

'Ron's upstairs.' Molly came in. 'Hermione is in France.'

'France?' Hagrid raised a bushy eyebrow. 'What fer?'

'Auror duties.' Remus smiled. 

'Wha-?'

'Hermione's an Auror. As are Ron and Harry.'

'What's a guy gotta do to hear 'bout folks round here? I didn' e'en know they were going for tha' sorta job!' Hagrid muttered grimly under his breath, not leaving the entrance hallway. 'I suppose they're in the order too?' They all nodded. 'I see.' he shook his head. 'Well, tell the kids I said 'Lo, and, if anyone hears anythin' 'bout Harry, I-'

'You'll be told Hagrid.' Remus promised.

Hagrid nodded his head. 'Righ' then.' and he stormed out.

***

Harry stood at the rubble that was his house. The fires by now had burned out, leaving little in its path. He scrounged through the ash and charred remains of his home, searching only for one thing. It took him forever to determine where his room had begun and where the hall had ended. It took him forever nearly to find where his bed had lain, where the bed stand had stood. And though the reflective surface was cracked, although it was dirty, Harry knew in his heart that the mirror Sirius had given him nearly three years ago worked just fine. He pulled it close to him, knowing it his only way to contact those that he loved. 

__

'Reparo!' he whispered, and the surface healed. Scrubbing it with his already dirty robes, Harry looked deep into the mirror. 'Sirius Black.' he muttered heavily, knowing well the lecture he was sure to receive. It started to glow around the surface. 'Sirius?' He waited.

***

It was Christmas Eve. Sirius was home alone, save for Hedwig. The Weasley's had gone back to the Burrow, each of them whishing him a Merry Christmas in turn. Remus could not stay either, for he had work to take care of, though did state with true feeling how he regretted he could not be holiday company. 

He roamed around the halls, though why he wasn't sure, when he heard something from his room. A soft whisper calling his name. Sirius drew his wand, weary of what might be waiting for him. Kicking the door wide open, he ran in wand first and combed the area. Nothing. But the voice was stronger, and familiar. 

'Sirius?' it kept calling, almost desperately. He looked, trying to find the source.

'I'm going mad.' he hissed as he realized who's voice it was. 'STOP IT!' he bellowed, grabbing his head and falling to his knees. 'MAKE IT STOP!' And it did. But Sirius didn't leave his position. He stayed on his knees, trembling. 'God, make it stop!' 

'SIRIUS!?' it came, loud enough to shake him from the daze he was in. The voice was real, it was coming from somewhere. It wasn't in his head. He stood up with alarming speed, combing the room once more for the mirror he and James had always used in separate detentions. One he had given Harry, and Sirius hadn't realized that perhaps his godson had taken it with him, just in case. 

'Harry?' he stated firmly. 

'Sirius! Where are you?'

'My room, where are you?'

'More like where's you're side of the mirror.' there was a laugh. Sirius smiled. Yes, that was the question wasn't it.

'I can't find it.' There was a distressed sigh. 'Well, as long as I'm looking for it, are you all right? Are you hurt?' he found it at last, pulling it from, of all places, underneath the mattress of his bed. He was soon staring back at a face he had lost all hope of ever seeing again. Without realizing it, tears spilled down his cheeks. 'Harry...' he whispered, holding the mirror closer as if somehow believing he might be able to step through and be beside him. 

'I'm...fine.' but as he said it he moved, and doing so caused him to wince. 'Where are the others?'

'Conveniently not here.' Sirius replied instantly. 'But that won't be long. Do you want me to come-'

'NO!' Harry nearly yelled. 'No. I'm still being followed.'

Sirius thought. 'Then come here.'

'No, they know that's where I'd go.'

'I don't care, I want you back here now.'

'I can't do that Sirius, you know that.'

'Then where are you planning on going?' he was starting to fume at Harry's boldness. 

'I don't know.' he sighed. 'But I'll contact you again.'

'No wait!' he yelled. 'Where have you been? Why did you wait so long to contact me?'

'I told you, I'm being followed. I couldn't risk coming back here to get the mirror yet. I'm risking more than I'd care to tell you just being here now.' he smiled innocently. 'Don't worry.'

'Don't worry?' Sirius might have laughed. 'Don't worry? You don't have the right to tell me that! Do you-'

'Sirius, I know. I'm terribly sorry, you have no idea. But you must understand the circumstances I'm in. Please.' he was practically begging. He moved to say something else, but he turned his head away from the mirror.

'What is it?'

'I have to-'

But the message was cut short. All he could hear were curses and jinxes being screamed, and soon it all faded till he was looking at nothing more than his own reflection again. 

'Harry?' he called. 'HARRY POTTER?!' but the mirror didn't respond. Sirius cursed and tossed it on his bed.

***

Running down the stairs at record pace, Sirius started a letter to Remus. The writing was sloppy, but legible enough for him to get the point.

'Hedwig!' he called. She hooted and flew loyally over to him. 'Send this to Remus, all right? And make sure he sends a response promptly!' She hooted again, gleefully and happy to have a job again. She then flew out the window he opened for her, hooting and chirping delightfully. Sirius could only sit and wait for a response. 

***

It was in fact only moments later that Remus looked up from his desk, working by candlelight, to see the snowy white owl perched outside the small window granted to all in the office. He jumped, but then remembering that she was no longer with Harry, he stepped up to receive the letter. It was, as he had predicted, from Sirius, but contained something he had not expected.

__

Remus,

You're not going to believe me, but do you remember those mirrors James and I used to have? A while back I gave Harry one of them and he just now contacted me with it! He didn't say much, and absolutely nothing that would have helped us, but he was suddenly cut short and I heard curses. He was fighting someone, and now he won't respond to the mirror when I call. I don't know what to do.

Sirius

Remus eyed around, making sure no one else was reading his letter. Immediately he started writing back, knowing Hedwig would not allow him to just lay this aside.

***

It might have been thirty minutes later when Hedwig returned with a letter from Remus, and a mouse in her beak. Ignoring the praise earned to her, Sirius dug into the letter, sitting as he read and reread what little assurance he was given.

__

Sirius,

Harry contacted you? Was he all right? You're letter was lacking in what might have been important details. I'll write Dumbeldore immediately about this, but I fear there's little to know other than that we can be sure Harry returned to the house he'd been living in. By the sounds of it, someone was waiting there for him. I'm going to tell you once more, don't worry. Please stay calm, keep your head, and don't do anything rash.

Remus

Sirius angrily crumpled the letter up and tossed it.


	12. At Long Last, A Werewolf's Heart, and Ho...

**__**

~At Long Last~

The only thing Harry knew was that his head hurt terribly. His arms and legs moved, though stiffly. Where he was he didn't know, and he was quite certain that it wasn't somewhere he should be. 

'Damn.' he whispered, realizing that he was shackled to a wall, and without his wand. Of course they wouldn't leave him armed. 

'You'll be saying more than that in due time.' came a voice he knew well. Harry looked up to see the face of Draco Malfoy sneering at him. 'Looks like at long last I've got you where I want you.' He drove his fist deep into Harry's stomach. 

'I'm betting your pissed your Lord hasn't granted you permission to do away with me.' Harry smiled back, even as another fist pummeled into the side of his face. Draco's face was fuming, and Harry knew he'd hit a nerve. The question was now, how to strike it again.

'Who said I wanted to kill you? At least, not yet.' Draco started pacing around him, slowly, the sneer never leaving his smug face. 'You see, the way it is, I have you now. In my clutches. Lord Voldemort will honor me higher than any of his other followers.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'God, you're all trying to be daddy's little favorite, aren't you?'

'Pretty good, wouldn't you say, _Potter_! You fell into a trap a Malfoy set for you. Must tear at you, huh? To know that at long last, I'm going to win, and you're going to lose?'

'No, because I already know how I'm getting out of here.' Harry smiled. He really had no idea, but he wasn't going to let Draco on to that. It seemed to work, for his old schoolmate's face paled noticeably even in the dark. But soon the smugness reappeared.

'You won't. You're a fool to think you can trick me Potter. Voldemort will be here in time.' He leaned in closer, nearly an inch away from Harry's face. 'I'll enjoy listening to you scream.' then he turned on his heel and left. Harry tugged in vain at the manacles that bound him and sighed, allowing his head to droop in knowing failure.

***

**__**

~A Wolf's Heart~

'Sirius, are you certain?' Remus asked once more. He was visibly pale and shaking, but his old friend didn't notice, and he was partially glad. 

'Of course I am! You're questioning my sanity?'

'I'm questioning your judgment. Don't get me wrong, Sirius, but....in desperate times we...sometimes see things we want to see.' At this, Sirius' face fumed red. Remus held up a hand. 'All right, all _right_! I'll see what strings I can pull. We'll....we'll go back there and look for him.'

'Now! We're going now!' Sirius demanded. A long silent Arthur suddenly spoke up. 

'Sirius you can't just go now.'

'HARRY COULD BE DEAD!' Sirius hollered, his heart pounding at the sound of the words coming out of his mouth. 

'He isn't dead.' Remus stood now. He looked tall and foreboding. And angry. 'He isn't dead because Voldemort knows his value to us. He would want to strike a bargain first. He would...see what we would give for Harry's life. What we would trade.'

'A barter?' Sirius raised an eyebrow. 'How can you be so certain?'

'Because its the smart thing to do in Voldemort's position. In exchange for Harry, Dumbeldore would probably give Voldemort just about anything! Think how good of a deal he could strike, Sirius! He won't kill Harry. Not yet.'

'That's easy for you to say!' Sirius muttered bitterly. 

'What?' Remus breathed, his heart in his throat, along with his dinner. 

'He isn't your responsibility. You can easily make these sort of assumptions. But I can't. All I can see is him lying dead somewhere. You don't-'

Sirius stopped there, taking a place in an old armchair beside the study's fire. Once more he rested his head in his hands. Remus thought he could see newly forming streaks of gray in the jet black, shoulder length hair. He smiled sadly. 

'I have only a slight idea of what you're going through.' he admitted, not meeting his friend's shocked gaze. 'I was never able to attach myself to him like you did. You made him your son, which is just what James would have wanted.' He could feel the tears, but pulled them back in determination not to cry. Not in front of Sirius. 'But Sirius, don't ever make the assumption that we don't care about him any more than any other Member of the Order, or an Auror. Sirius, he's all we have left of a family we all loved and lost. The last Potter. Everyone loved Lily and James, and so do they love Harry. We care about him, and we're willing to do all we can to get him back. And its hard to keep our heads knowing that our children are being targeted the same as we are. None of us are safe, Sirius. Harry will come back, because I don't believe that God would be so cruel as to take him from us. Lily and James are watching over him. They know how much you love Harry, as much as they did. They won't allow anything to happen to him knowing that we'll do all we can to save him.'

'How can you say this?' Sirius whispered. 'How?'

'Because I can place myself in your shoes. I can imagine what I would be feeling, thinking, imagining. It's in my nightmares finding Harry dead somewhere as well. All of ours. But I know it can't happen, because I won't give up hope. And you can't either. I'll remind you everyday if I have to, but I'm not going to let you despair over something we know we will win. I have confidence that that boy can take anything thrown at him, because I've seen him do it before. We all have. And every time it made him stronger. Harry can't be broken. He can't be converted or put against his will. He will not betray us in our search to have us find him dead. He will betray no one who is loyal to him or Dumbeldore, or us. He knows we'll find him.'

Sirius smiled, breathing easily now. 

'I'm amazed at the heart of a wolf.' he smiled.

***

**__**

~Hope in the Stars~

Harry was surprised to find a window in his prison cell. A smile crept over his face. A rather nice view, considering where he was. He could see the stars and all the constellations, and could even pick out a few planets. Divination and Astronomy had done little for him, except help him to discover that he rather enjoyed looking at the stars at night. His favorite constellation was Canis Major, which he could see now. Harry smiled as he traced the figure of one of Orion's best hunting dogs. 

He wasn't sure why he had come to like the constellation so much. His godfather was definitely a major contributor however. The brightest star in Canis Major was called Sirius, and it was the brightest star in the sky next to the sun. Harry smiled as he looked up at it now. The dog was almost directly over his prison, and Harry took that as a good omen. Sirius the star glittered down at him, nearly winking at him. 

'I hope you're okay.' Harry whispered at the sky, toward the star. 'I know you're worried. But I'm doing fine. I'll get out of here, even if you don't find me. I know you'll try, but I'd rather you not. You'll risk yourself and probably end up back in Azkaban. Or worse.' Harry laughed. 'I can't bring you back to life if you die. But I can break you out of that jail. Frankly I'd rather you stay put. I know that's asking too much, but it would mean more to me than you coming to my rescue. There's nothing for me if you're not there.' Suddenly, Harry smiled. 'It would be funny if we had some sort of psychic connection and you could hear everything I was saying. You told me you and dad did. Maybe we'll grow that close. But not now. There's always so much happening we barely have any time.' he looked bleary eyed to the stars. 'I promise that if I make it through this, I'll make more time.'

***

Miles away, Sirius stared up at the star that had given him his name. _The brightest star in the sky next to the sun_, Harry had told him long ago. A rather fascinating fact that James had also shared with him a while ago. He thought back longingly on that day.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Then you must be the sun.' I laughed teasingly, though I had meant it. 

'Oh you're funny, smart ass!' James had tossed a pillow at me. We'd been in the common room during our sixth year.

'Don't curse!' Remus hissed. 

'How can I not with this kid over here smarting off?' James smiled, tossing another pillow at me. I was rolling around on my bed laughing. I loved ticking him off like that, though I knew somewhere I'd probably flattered him. It was always hysterical. 'Oh shut up, Padfoot!'

'Oh make me!' I spat back at him, blowing a slobbery raspberry. 

'Okay!' and without my expecting it, he leapt from his bed to mine, the both of us toppling over the other side. I laughed till my sides hurt, and James was near the same state. 

'What sort of a tackle was that! You're as weak as Snape on a Cleansweep!'

'Oh that's it!' James had hollered and he started wailing on me, though with nothing more than a pillow. I rolled over and pretended that it hurt terribly. 

'Oh please stop! It hurts! I can't take it anymore!' 

Remus was trying desperately not to laugh, though was being highly unsuccessful at it. With a holler I launched myself at James and tossed him up on the bed. I could lift him easily he was so thin, but we were both of equal strength. 

'Ahhhhhhhhh!' He cried as he flopped back over the other side. He landed with a hard thud that made me wince. I jumped onto the bed and looked over. 

'All right there, Prongs?'

'What are you doing, trying to kill me?' he stated bitterly, pulling his head out of a small trash bin.

'Sorry, mate.' 

James smiled evilly. 'No you're not.' and he tossed a heaping wad of tissues at me. Peter had had a cold earlier in the week, and I didn't want to think about what was concealed in the heart of those white wads of disposable cloth.

'Oh God! No!' I hollered, trying desperately to evade the launch. Remus sat on his bed, looking very much amused at our performance. 'Would you stop sitting there Moony and HELP ME!!!!'

'And ruin the Before Dinner show?' he smiled wickedly. James laughed as he charged me with the remnants of the bin. 

'HAHA! NO ONE'S GOING TO SAVE YOU NOW!' I ran down to the Common Room and out the door, amazed that James was still chasing me.

'If I say "I surrender" will you stop?' I shouted over my shoulder.

'Maybe!' 

I rolled my eyes. A stitch was growing in my side, I had to stop whether or not I was going to get a shirt full of snot filled tissues. 

'Do you surrender?' James grinned. I raised my hands over my head to signal a surrender, but apparently that wasn't good enough for James. He somehow twisted me around and had an arm around my neck, another on the trash bin. 'Say Uncle!' he demanded.

'Aunt!' I laughed.

'Say UNCLE!'

'AUNT! AUNT! AUNT!'

'UNCLE!!!'

'AUNT!!!!!!!!'

We fell to the floor laughing. 

'You're a git!' James managed after a while.

'I learn from the best.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A smile crossed the sad man's face. He loved those old fights. It was amazing how fun they had always been. Sirius missed those days with an envy. What he wouldn't do to relive those days. What would he change? _Nothing_. He thought. Those days had been precious, more so than he had realized. 

Silent sobs wracked his body, and he looked once more to the star he was named after. Nothing was more precious than those days, except maybe those he had had with Harry.

'I'll find you.' he promised. 'I won't let you go. I'll never stop looking for you. You can always count on me. I won't screw up again.' then his eyes turned angrily to the heavens. 'You may have taken everything I have, but you won't have Harry. Do you hear me James? You made the mistake of leaving, but you won't get your son back. Not yet.' surprisingly, the wind started to pick up, making the trees talk with strength in the chattering branches. 'Don't bother arguing. I've made up my mind.' 

Everything then died into silence. Sirius stood from his perch on the roof and smiled, looking once more to his star. There was one beside it that was slightly less brighter, and yet not at all a part of the constellation. It winked brightly at him, and he suddenly wondered if that was an omen. A smile crept onto his face as he realized what that star was meant for. It wasn't a real star, but a magical sign of hope from someone very far away. He knew Harry was okay, because long ago they had derived this plan. Sirius could cast a star signal through his star to Harry, and Harry could cast a signal through the star beside it. There was no need of a wand, it was only simple will power, and only they could comprehend it. As long as they could see Canis Major, they could talk to each other. 

Why Sirius hadn't thought to look before, he wasn't sure. Sighing, he sat back down. The star winked again. He was indeed without his wand, and didn't know where he was. Voldemort was no where around, but he would be seeing him soon. _I'll see you again_. 

Sirius smiled brightly. This was another thing James and he had done years ago. It had worked well when his friend had gone into hiding, but when James had died, the star had burned out. Now it was back, and Sirius found comfort in its position beside his own. _I will find you._

The star beside Canis Major's Sirius winked again. _Don't risk yourself for me. I can handle it._

Sirius sat in silence, his thoughts mimicked in the constant flickering of his star. _I know you can. I have faith in you. _

Thank you. Do you know what time it is?

He laughed, checking the watch Harry had given him two Christmases ago. It was very nice, though he had needed a good deal of help in getting it to work. _Eleven sixteen._

Thank you. There was a pause in the star's flickering. _I'm going to break out of here tomorrow. I know I can. _

Where are you going?

I think I might go to Hogwarts. If I can judge correctly it might not be too far away from here. I could make it as Shadowfax.

Be careful Harry. Sirius felt his heart pound. There was another bout of silence. He believed that Harry might have turned away from the signal when suddenly it started to flicker again.

__

I want to ask you something. If its a stupid question let me know, but its something that's itched at me for a while, and lately I've been wondering if I'd ever get the chance to ask you. Just in case, I wanted to ask you now.

Sirius nodded his head. He didn't like what Harry was expecting. His godson had never showed a lack of faith in himself, at least one that he had never openly exposed. He was wondering if this was a new side of Harry, or if he really was in trouble. 

__

Ask then, please.

Another bout of silence before at last there was a response. _Do you think of dad the same way you think of me?_

On the other side of what may very well have been the galaxy, Harry sat and waited. For ten minutes he waited for a response, at last it came to him. _What do you mean?_

I mean, what exactly am I to you? 

I'm confused.

Well, let me try putting it this way. Do you think of me as a friend, like dad was? Just Harry your godson? Harry waited. He prayed Sirius didn't take this the wrong way. Suddenly he wished he could have had this conversation face to face. _You know, never mind Sirius. I shouldn't be asking this question-_

No, wait. That was what Harry did, and the answer was phenomenal. _I'm glad you asked that. Harry, my greatest fear has been losing you, but my second greatest was you never knowing what I thought. You're my best friend's son, and you became mine the moment I knew James was dead. I wanted so badly to be a father to you, but I was afraid you wouldn't let me. I didn't want to take his place in your heart, so I left it to you to place me where you saw fit. I would humbly accept that position in your heart, for it would not be fair to force myself upon you like a father. I've often wanted to ask you the same question, but I thought that you may feel the way I didn't want you to. I lay quiet, not knowing what to do for you except stand by you in your time of need. I didn't do that too well, I fear, and now that you know how I feel I'm not so certain you'll ever want me too._

Harry, however, smiled, and he let it show. The star grew brighter, and Sirius noticed it from a hundred miles away. 

__

If it means anything to you, you never once forced yourself upon me. In fact I desired for you to become the father I never knew. I thought you were afraid of me or something because you never pushed yourself into that role. I wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was simply because I wasn't your son. Maybe it was something I couldn't see. But Sirius, I'm glad for your answer.

Sirius smiled tearfully on the rooftop of Grimmauld Place. _I'm glad for yours. When you get back, I promise to be more of the father you need._

The star dwindled a bit. _You're just fine the way you are. I love you for what you've done for me. Just please, don't die trying to save me. I couldn't bear it. I promise I'll come back to you, and that is something I can promise._

Can you? Sirius laughed.

__

Yes, I can. I know how I'm going to get out of here.

Be careful Harry. Sirius lost count at how many times he'd said that, but once more for good measures couldn't hurt, could it?

__

You too. And that was the end of their conversation. Sirius, however, continued to stare into the sky. A new hope found in the heavens, he thought, laying on his back and watching as the constellations passed before his eyes. Canis Major soon disappeared in the daylight, and he found himself suddenly wishing he'd said more to his godson. 

'No matter. You'll see him again.' he told himself as he stood, entering Grimmauld Place through the window in his mum's old bedroom. He joined the others for breakfast, tired, but more cheery than he'd been in months.


	13. The Eyes of the Forest

**__**

A/N: Hey, sorry for the mere suckiness of this chapter. I had it really good till my computer decided to malfunction and I had to close the Word Processor down without having saved ANYTHING!!!! *Starts to breathe heavily* Okay well here is the slightly worser (I know, that's not really a word!) chapter 13 of 'Holding My Last Breath'

****

The Eyes of the Forest

A large black dog bound through the thick overgrowth of the Forbidden Forests. He wasn't sure how he'd escaped from the clutches of Draco Malfoy and the Death Eaters, but he was grateful. Silently he moved in the shadows, should unfriendly beasts and humans be tracking him. The dog sensed nothing, but would not allow that belief to blind its senses. Death Eaters had ways of sneaking up on those who believed they were safe. He knew. It had happened to him once before, and his parents. Sighing (if dogs can sigh) the dog Shadowfax bound closer and closer to the one place he had first called home. Toward the one place where he knew he could find sanctuary. Steadily, Shadowfax the dog bound toward Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

***

Dumbeldore had sensed a presence familiar and welcome for some time now approaching the school. He wasn't sure who it was, but knew that they were in animagi form. Patiently he waited, his eyes focused on the grounds. Hagrid the gamekeeper was struggling with a few Christmas trees to place in the school for the coming holidays. The Headmaster smiled and continued to survey the grounds. At last his sharp blue eyes caught sight of something. A large black dog sat in the shadows of the Forbidden Forest, panting heavily. It looked tired and worried, but all right nonetheless. Dumbeldore smiled, and within a few moments had appeared on the ground, bidding the dog forward. 

With a gentle yip it obeyed, and greeted the old man as if it were his master. But Dumbeldore knew better. This dog had no master, nor would he ever. A smile crossed the man's face as he scratched the animal gently between the ears. 

'We've been worried, Harry.' he whispered with a wink. The dog yipped once more, licking his hand appreciatively. 'I am quite glad to see you on your feet. All four of them!' Hagrid marched by, dragging a few large pine trees behind him. 

'Good mornin' Professor!' he nodded his head and smiled. 

'Good morning Hagrid. Have everything there all right?'

'Nothin' to it, sir.'

Dumbeldore waited for the large Gamekeeper to be out of range before turning to face the dog once more. To his surprise Harry stood before him, smiling weakly. 

'Hello Professor.' 

'Harry...' the old man smiled. 'We've been worried.'

'I know. I'm sorry.'

Dumbeldore held up a hand. 'There is no need, Harry. I understand your predicament, and you were right to do what was needed to keep yourself safe.'

'I...thank you sir. Have you heard from anyone?'

'Anyone?' Dumbeldore smiled in an attempt to be comedic. 'Just anyone? Harry I hear from all sorts of people every single day.'

Harry smiled. 'I mean Sirius, or Remus, Hermione or Ron? How have they been?'

At this, Dumbeldore sighed. 'Sirius has been a hard one to get through to. But I imagine your talk last night with him made him feel much better.'

Harry stopped. 'You knew about that?'

'Harry, since when have I not known about your actions?' he smiled sweetly, like a grandfather to his young child. 'But yes, though I did not read through the conversation. I'm not nosey in my ways, just curious. A rather brilliant form of communication, if I may say so.' He wrapped a friendly arm around Harry's shoulders. 'I am quite impressed, though you never cease to make me so. I imagine his moods have changed dramatically in knowing that you are safe!'

Harry smiled, going slightly red at Dumbeldore's comment. 'What then of the others?'

'Ron is upset, but I imagine he will recover. He's strong, and has picked up on some of your more admirable traits. Determination, strength, wit...he will come to believe that you will be fine in the end. Your friend Miss Granger is in Europe exercising her first job as an Auror.'

Harry looked up in amazement. 'Hermione is in Europe? Isn't that place drenched with Death Eaters?'

'She will be fine, Harry.' Dumbeldore assured him. 'It is you, once again, that we must fear for.'

'For some reason I'm not surprised.' Harry laughed. Dumbeldore chuckled, releasing Harry's shoulder's from his arm. 

'You have no reason to be. My only fear is where are you going from here?'

Harry sighed. They were still outside, and he began to grow wary of their surroundings. 'A fear I fear I cannot quell at this time, Professor.' Harry smiled innocently. Dumbeldore raised an eyebrow, his face looking rather surprised.

'You do not trust me, Harry?' he asked. A pang of guilt hit Harry hard in the stomach.

'No, Professor. It isn't that.' he looked to the forest. 'We are being watched. And it is not so much that I do not trust you, it is because I do trust you. That makes you a target. So I cannot tell you, and even if I could, I don't know where I am going right of this moment. Perhaps I will contact you again.'

Dumbeldore nodded. He too had sensed the eyes from the forest, but they were well out of hearing range from the creature. 

'Be careful, Harry.' Dumbeldore whispered, grabbing the boys arm so as to also grab his attention.

'I will. Tell everyone I'm okay and I'll see them again soon.'

Dumbeldore nodded. 'Until we meet again.'

With that, Harry transformed into the big black dog that was so similar to his godfather and bolted into the forest, some twenty yards from where the eyes were still watching the wizard. Dumbeldore sighed sadly and hurried back to the school. 

***

Sirius saw with great joy the large black dog bounding out of the forests behind Grimmauld Place. His heart fluttered as he stepped lightly through the halls of his house, not caring if he woke anyone within. He entered the garden where the dog waited patiently, his tongue hanging out as he panted. The moonlight bathed them both, freezing them in a majestic, surreal painting like atmosphere for but a few moments before the dog once again took the shape of Harry Potter.

'Sorry I'm late.' Harry stated, cocking a crooked smile. Sirius and Harry embraced for a long moment.

'Here's something I thought I'd never see again.' Sirius stated tearfully. 

'The same here.' Harry replied. They pulled away, eyes connecting. 'I can't stay.'

'I know.'

Harry nodded. 'Where are the others?'

'All inside, sleeping.'

'Or so you assume.' he nodded to an upstairs window. Sirius looked up to see Remus and Ron smiling down at them. They were down in the garden within a few moments, all of them greeting Harry warmly. 

'You ass!' Ron hissed, punching him once in the shoulder, then hugging him.

'Don't know what to make of that, but okay.' Harry laughed when they pulled apart. 

'Its good to see you, Harry.' Remus stated, embracing Harry as he might have James so many years ago. 

'And you, Professor.'

'Remus, Harry. Remus.'

Harry again cocked that famous crooked smile he'd earned from his father. 'Very well.'

'Where are you going now?' Sirius asked after they had all greeted each other.

'I don't know. I can't go back to Hogwarts though, its being watched.'

Remus' brow widened. 'Does he know.'

'Yes. But they've got eyes on everywhere they believe I'd go. I have a feeling they'll be watching this place soon enough too.'

Sirius nodded. 'So no more visits after this one?'

Harry sighed sadly. 'Probably not. At least not outside. I might be able to get in via Floo Powder, that is if you're hooked up to it.'

'It can be arranged.' Sirius smiled. Harry did as well.

'We'll see then.' Harry smiled. Sirius nodded. He moved to say something when a sudden rumble in the forest made them all turn their heads and instinctively draw their wands. 'Damn.'

'What is it?' Sirius hissed, trying not to mind his godson's new bad habit.

'Whatever it was, its the same thing they've got posted at Hogwarts.'

'Could it be the same one?' Ron asked. 

'No.' Harry stated. 'A forest troll.'

'A wha..?' Ron looked to Harry with a raised eyebrow. All his years as a wizard and Harry could still surprise him with new information.

'A forest troll.' Sirius repeated. 'Rare, but no less dangerous than any of its cousins.'

'Rare!?! I thought they were wiped out!!!' Ron near bellowed. 

'Sshhh!' they all hissed. 

'Is this all they've got after you?' Sirius found himself saying with a mocking smile. 'I think they've underestimated you.'

Harry could not help but laugh. 'No. This is what they have as posts. Everywhere they think I'll go, one of these things will be waiting there. He's already reported I'm here.' he looked to Sirius. 'I'm going to have to go.' Sirius nodded. 'Get back inside.'

They did, but Sirius turned his head just in time to see a large black dog barrel into the other side of the forest, the troll's eyes (all that had ever been visible) suddenly disappeared, no doubt its gaze following the wizard it was after.

Sirius sighed, but a warm hand came across his back. 

'He'll be fine.' Remus smiled. Sirius knew it to be true, but he still could not help but worry.


	14. Dragon Riders

**__**

A/N: Dragon Riders are mine.

****

Dragon Riders

'So he knows we're watching his regular hide outs?'

'Yes.'

'A small price to pay. The forest trolls would have been obvious despite their superior intellect compared to that of their cousins.'

'They are hard to hide, sir.'

'But he doesn't know what else we've got for him.'

'No.'

'Of course not. Not even Dumbeldore could see it. Unleashing the Dragon Riders from the very circle of hell, none will see it. Not until it is too late.'

'A brilliant, flawless plan master.'

'I know.'

***

The Shrieking Shack was not watched, and since it was not a regular hideout of Harry's, he knew it would be safe to stay. He watched as last minute Christmas shoppers bustled along the roads in a mad rush to get some slightly acceptable gifts. Harry had to laugh. He looked up to the sky through the nearly completely boarded up window and sighed. The stars would not be out for another few hours, so he had no hope of contacting Sirius at the moment. 

He decided to take rest in one of the slightly dusty chairs of the house when a thought came to his mind. Harry leapt gracefully up the stairs and came to the room that held a memory he would never forget. The only thing that had changed from that day in his third year was the extra layers of dust everywhere. The bed covers were still slightly rumpled when Ron had laid on them years ago, nursing a broken leg. There was still a burn mark on the ground where Scabbers the Rat had been forced to reveal his true identity. He was also surprised to see that the footprints left by Sirius, Remus, Peter, Hermione, Ron, Snape, and himself were still slightly visible, even beneath the new layers of dust. He smiled, sitting on the bed and reliving that night over and over again.

It had been the night he was sure he'd die. He'd prepared himself for it the moment he saw Ron dragged beneath the Whomping Willow. Somehow he'd known that that dog was Sirius. However he had never predicted that that night would end with Crookshanks leading Remus and Ron, chained to the man who had truly betrayed his parents, the man who had passed as his best friend's rat for nearly thirteen years out of the secret door to the Willow. An unconscious Snape trailing them, Sirius pointing Ron's wand at him the whole time, and Hermione and Harry both bringing up the lead. If any had been watching, it definitely had to have been a sight to see.

Once more Harry sighed, wishing that those days of innocence would return to him. He'd relive it all if he could. Now he was hiding. Now it was Harry on the run, but not from the law. Unfortunately. Harry had learned from his godfather and Peter Pettigrew how you could hide from the Ministry. The Ministry had to follow certain rules in obtaining a criminal, and killing was never an option. What Harry was running from had no rules of engagement, and would sink to any level to bring his head to their leader. He shuddered at the thought, but was soon distracted upon hearing a familiar voice outside.

'I don' know where he is! E'en if I did, I wouldn't be tellin' the likes o' you!'

Harry sat up, peering out of the boarded window. Hagrid was arguing with a cloaked stranger whom Harry could recognize was up to no good.

'Won't you please sir, its concerning his godfather.'

'And what would yeh be knowin' 'bout Sirius?' the anger in the giants eyes was palpable, even to one who barely knew the normally gentle man. 'I'll relay the message to him meself!'

'Ah, but you just said you don't know where he is.'

'I can make sure he gets it.' Hagrid rumbled. 'Tell me what yeh know or I'll be throwin' you out o' this town faster than yeh can say-'

'Now now, Rubeus, there's no need for that. I'll simply talk with the headmaster.'

Harry was surprised when Hagrid's fist shot from one of the pockets in his moleskin coat and wrapped itself firmly around the man's cloak. 

'I don't like yer tone. Yeh sound like a troublemaker.'

The man squirmed from Hagrid's grip, and not with ease.

'Well, I'll put that to good note. Farewell, Gamekeeper.'

With that the cloaked stranger left, leaving a disgruntled Hagrid standing alone. His eyes were set firmly on the man, though seemed to soften as he moved away. His eyes rested on the Shrieking Shack, though did not find the green pair of eyes staring back at him.

Harry's heart broke as he saw the tears forming in the giants eyes while he turned from the place. He wanted so much to call out to his friend, the first friend he had ever had in this world. But he could not. Sadly Harry watched as Hagrid mingled with the crowd, though did not disappear in the slightest due to his abnormal size. Sighing, Harry pulled away from the window, only to find the stranger standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

***

Hagrid sighed, sitting down and ordering a mug of ale to quell his nerves. That man had set him off, and the fact that he was asking to see Harry was all too unnerving. Hands shaking, Hagrid could not find the strength to lift the bucket sized mug, and so sat back in the shadows of his corner table and watched as strangers and students alike poured in and out of the bar. He waved to a few, more so dismissively than in greeting. Sometimes he found himself waiting to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione step through that door, but with a sadness he remembered they had graduated last year. He had been proud of them, but he had been sorry to see them go. 

With all the trouble they often caused, he missed them sneaking down late at night to visit him, or ask him questions he knew they had no right to know the answer to. Sadly, hearing of and seeing the predicament all three were in these days, he felt he had betrayed their trust. Of course they hadn't expected him to ever protect them, even during their time at Hogwarts. But he'd expected that from himself, and somehow that expectation had not died, even upon their leaving the school. 

'Yer a fool.' Hagrid growled to himself. 'A derned blasted fool.' Finally he took a swig from the mug, drizzling the ale down his beard and coat. He didn't care. 

***

'Who are you?'

'You don't know?'

'Obviously.'

'Your friend is wise.'

'What do you want with me?'

'A talk.'

'What else?'

'You already know I think.'

'And if I refuse?'

'You won't.'

***

The children went to sleep without an argument. There had been less of that recently. No question why. 

'Goodnight.' Mrs. Weasley called to Ron and Ginny, the last to leave the sitting room.

'G'night mum!' Ron replied dryly. Ginny was in front of him. They made their way up the stairs, neither saying a word to each other. 

Mrs. Weasley sighed, sitting at the table, a cup of tea in her hands. 'Tomorrow's Christmas.' she pointed out plainly to the men sitting around the table. 

'Yes it is.' Sirius stated, drumming his fingers on the table's surface. 

'No hope then of having Harry over?'

His eyes drifted to the forest where surely the Troll was watching them. 

'No.'

She sighed. 'Very well.' She stood and left, Sirius also left some time later leaving Arthur and Remus at the table. He reached his room and pulled open the window, stepping lightly onto the roof. He looked up at the star that had give him his name and smiled.

__

Harry? Nothing. Sirius frowned. _Harry are you there?_ Again there was nothing. Maybe Harry wasn't out tonight. _No_, he thought, eye contact broken from the star. _He would be out._ Unless something had happened. Worry started to flood through him, making his limbs shake. 

'No!' he demanded verbally of his body and mind. 'No, stop this.'

He looked up at the star, calling once more. _Harry, are you there?_

Sirius?

Harry! What took you?

Sorry. 

Harry was being unusually short in his responses. _Is something wrong?_

Um, I'm not sure.

What's wrong?

There was a very long pause that Sirius did not like. _Harry?_ He asked once more. There was no answer this time. Sirius cursed and went inside, falling into fitful dreams. He didn't see the dragons pass over the harvest moon, riders cloaked in black and silver on their backs. 


	15. Growing Quandaries

**__**

Author's Note: Wow! 12 reviews within the space of a day and a half. I'm quite impressed that this story has reached such heights. In all honestly I didn't think it would get this, err, liked? *Shrugs* Well I thank you all, reviewers new and old. Also for the constructive criticism. Please realize that what with my growing impatience with this story (I'm sort of at a bit of a loss) And the fact that I'm juggling about eight OTHER stories besides this one, I realize this may be moving fast in some areas and slow in others, as well as not everyone's character development being 100 percent. Not all characters are as easy to hit on the head as others, remind you, but I will do what I can to bring more of their soul into what I have here. For the moment, I hope you like all I've got here.

****

Growing Quandaries

Dumbeldore sensed the evil that flew through the skies at midnight. He sensed their heartless gazes and voices calling silently to one another. He knew what they sought, and knew they knew where to find him. For the first time in many years, Dumbeldore found himself trembling. Voldemort was indeed a fool to raise such an ancient evil with little knowledge on how to control the beasts. He must be truly desperate. With a sigh, Dumbeldore came to his fireplace and grabbed a small helping of Floo Powder. The others must know, for none were safe from the piercing gazes of the Dragon Riders.

***

Giving the time, Dumbeldore was not surprised to find no one in the sitting room. His patience waning with the time given to him, he left a letter addressed to Sirius. Then he left, heading towards Hogsmeade. Upon entering the Shrieking Shack he suddenly realized that Harry was no longer there. He was gone. But not taken by the Dragon Riders. No, Dumbeldore sensed that much. 

Yet a flurry of panic crept its way into the otherwise calm and strong man's frame. Harry had not left, not willingly, and he had the sense of an unwelcome presence within the vicinity of this old house. He turned and left, not bothering to search further. He moved swiftly and silently across the Hogwarts grounds and found a rather gruesome looking Hagrid stumbling clumsily to the door of his cabin.

'G'night, Professor!' he called. He was drunk, for his speech was slurred beyond much recognition. 

'Hagrid, have you seen anything...odd, tonight?' Dumbeldore asked, ignoring Hagrid's previous statement. 

'Odd....no sir Professor. Ain't seen nothin' round here lately that's odd.' The dismayed expression upon Dumbeldore's face sobered the giant. 'Somethin' I can do fer yeh, sir?'

'No, Hagrid. Thank you.' with that he left the giant to his cabin, his foot steps quickening with every horrid thought in his head. Things were definitely getting worse by the moment.

***

It was not Sirius who found the letter, but Ron. He awoke to find the house void of life, for everyone else was sleeping. It was Christmas morning, and Ron had found that there would be no joy in it. He didn't bother with manners or caring, but ran through the halls and straight to the main bedroom that was Sirius'. 

'Sirius! Get up!' Ron bellowed fearfully through the door. There was some random shuffling and in fifteen long seconds he stood at the door. The sight might have been humorous, save the situation at hand. 

The shoulder length black hair was a tangles mess upon the man's head and around his ears, giving the impression of a bird's nest falling apart. There was some dried drool on the side of his face and the fact that his shirt was on backwards made Sirius all the more entertaining to observe. Ron, however, saw none of this as he handed him the letter Dumbeldore had left that morning on the kitchen table.

'Where did you find this?' Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow.

'The table. In the kitchen. No one else was up.'

Sirius nodded. 'Get the others, I'll meet you down there.' Ron nodded and started waking the rest of the houses inhabitants. 'Merry Christmas.' he whispered sarcastically as he made himself only slightly more presentable. Writing a quick letter to Dumbeldore he sent it with Hedwig, and then joined the Weasley's in the basement Kitchen along with Remus. 'We've got a problem.' he stated.

***

'Dragon Riders?' Ron raised an eyebrow. It was the second time in the last few days he'd heard of something he thought to be gone for good. 'What good are they for Voldemort?'

'They are very loyal to those who would call them from their prison.' Dumbeldore answered calmly. 'At least for some time.'

'How did he find a way to raise them?' Sirius asked. He was pale, but remarkably well contained in his frustration and worry. In these past few weeks, he had grown as a parent. 

'Very carefully.' Dumbeldore hinted.

'But that takes resources, concentration, sacrifices, and I don't mean with time.'

Ron and Ginny both shuddered, knowing quite well what Sirius meant. 

'Yes, it does, and none of these Voldemort is unwilling to give up or gain to find what he wants.'

'But he must know the risks!' Remus came in. 'He must know their loyalty is limited.'

'Of course he does. Voldemort isn't a fool.' Dumbeldore stated, perhaps a bit more harshly than he had meant. Remus seemed unaffected, however. 'There is a way to cast them back into their fiery abyss, and though it involves all the same qualities as the spell that released them, again I say Voldemort is willing to give up or gain nearly anything to retrieve what he desires. He will send them after Harry, and then when they have delivered the prize, he will either send them back or have them slain.'

'That's possible?' Arthur commented.

'It is. Though he who slays the Dragon Rider dies himself. Again Voldemort would risk his Death Eaters to gain his prize.'

'Harry.' Sirius sighed noticeably. Dumbeldore nodded, sadly. 

'Yes.'

'Well, what a Merry Christmas this is turning out to be.' Ron stated sarcastically. Somehow that brought smiles to all the faces in the room. 

'I feel for now he is safe. But with these growing quandaries, I fear no one is safe. Harry was correct long ago in his assumptions, Sirius, when we talked to him about going into hiding. Voldemort would know to strike out at someone he cares for to bring Harry out of hiding. I fear that if the Dragon Riders do not succeed, or their loyalty wears thin before their purpose is complete, Voldemort would sink to such a level.'

'So we're all screwed.' Ron remarked bitterly.

'In a less than poetic sense, yes.' 

Everyone sighed.

***

That night, Ron sat down on his desk and wrote a long letter to Hermione. He wasn't quite sure what to say, so much had happened in the stretch of her absence. He bitterly felt that stretch, and everything seemed to sting so much easier with her gone. Her presence was reassuring, and now that Ron didn't have that, everything was going. Pig delivered the letter eagerly, oblivious to his master's true feelings at this moment. He was starting to feel hopeless, lost, and slightly useless. 

'They're all feeling that way.' he told himself and collapsed over his bed, replaying memories, thoughts, and fears in his mind till sleep found him.

***

__

Hermione,

It's very hard to find words at this moment in time. I wish you were here, I know right now that would make things a lot easier. I miss you, and Mum wishes you a Happy Christmas. Ours has not turned out so well, its near midnight and we've yet to open our presents. Dumbeldore arrived today with terrible news.

Have you ever heard of Dragon Riders? Well, somehow Voldemort's brought them up and has them searching for Harry, and he also reckons now that none of us are safe. Mum wants to have you sent back with Ministry Guard, but Moody's said that you can't just scoop an Auror out of his or her work. I trust you're doing okay, and I hope to hear from you. Please respond to this as soon as you can. 

Love,

Ron

Hermione read the letter over and over again, hardly believing what she interpreted. With Dragon Riders, Harry was doomed! Her heart fluttering, her hands shaking, Hermione wrote well into the next night a response to her friend.

__

Ron,

Thank you for telling me these things. If I can I will come back to London and insist that the both of us work on this case. Have they still not given you work? My but trouble is growing for us all, isn't it? I do hope Harry is all right, and I hope that these matters have not been too pressing on you. I will be back when I can. Keep your chin up and know that Harry can take care of himself. Give my love to everyone, and tell Ginny I said hello. Keep your head up, all of you. I will come back as soon as I can. Be careful.

Love from,

Hermione

***

'The time is at hand.'

'Yes Master.'

'Potter is in our grasp?'

'Yes.'

'Let the reign of doom begin.'


	16. Flesh,Blood, Bone, Heart

**__**

Author's Note: My humble apologies if nothing on the Dragon Riders and the Flesh, Blood, Bone, and Heart incantations makes sense. I came up with all of it on a whim!

****

Flesh, Blood, Bone, Heart

'We are ready, then?'

'Yes.'

'Very well. Do what you must with him, then take his mangled corpse and place it where Dumbeldore can see it.'

'Very well, Master.'

***

With little more than a headache and a dulled memory, Harry awoke once again to find himself at an unfamiliar location. 

'Not my day.' he mumbled, scratching his nose on his extended arm. 'Not my month.' he reminded steadily. 'Merry Christmas Harry.' He looked up and around, there was no window. No hope of contacting Sirius. 

The cell, or room, or wherever the hell he was, was chilled to the point where had he had enough light he might have seen his breath floating and dissipating into the vast emptiness of the room. Shivering, he bit his lip to keep his teeth from chattering. At that moment the door opened, sending an ungodly amount of bright light into the forgiving darkness, making Harry wince.

'We meet again, Harry.' came an annoying voice from the past.

'Hello, Peter.' he stated sarcastically. 'How good it is to see you again. How's the hand?'

Peter gestured and lifted up a silvery hand, a substitute for the real one he had sacrificed to Voldemort so many years ago. 

'Fabulous. And your arm?'

'It healed.' Harry smiled at the casual note this conversation took on.

'The master wishes to see you now.'

'Does he?' Peter nodded. 'You can tell the master to kiss my ass.'

'I'll relay the message to him.' Peter charmed the shackles to unclamp, and as they did so, Harry rubbed his swollen wrists. 'Keep moving Potter. One move and I'll blast you.'

'With what? A tickling charm?' Harry chided. Peter pretended not to be annoyed, but was in truth very bad at it. 

'Do you wish to find out?'

Sighing, Harry found he didn't really have the energy for the duel. Amazing how that changed his whole mood. _My I'm either arrogant or finally being beaten down._ He mused as they trailed down the halls.

'Your Master sure could use to hire a House Elf or two.' Harry remarked.

Peter prodded his back with his wand. With a sigh he allowed himself to be herded by the no good snot that had betrayed his parents to the very man he was about to come face to face to. All the while, all Harry could do was hum a Christmas tune.

***

Hermione knocked on the door of Grimmauld Place out of manic frustration alone. Sirius answered the door, a smile, of all things, on his face. 

'Hello, Hermione!' he greeted. 'You're back soon!'

'Recent circumstances have brought me back to what matters.' sighed, allowing her baggage to fall with a loud clunk on the floor. 'I've heard. Everything. Sirius if there's anything I can-' Sirius held a hand up to silence her. 

'You needn't worry, Hermione.' He helped her carry her baggage upstairs. 

'Where are the others?'

'Downstairs. The Ministry. Sleeping still.'

'Who on earth could be sleeping at this time.'

'Ron.'

'Only him?' 

Sirius nodded, a smile on his face. 'I'm sure Mrs. Weasley wouldn't mind if you went to wake him.'

She did. Hermione bolted into Ron's room, slightly banged at the empty bed on the other side, but otherwise only flustered that Ron was not yet up. She didn't speak a word, only jumped on his bed, shaking him violently.

'Er-my-oh-knee?' he grumbled, rubbing his eyes and desperately trying to straighten his hair. 'What? Wait, when did you come?'

'Just a few minutes ago! Why are you sleeping?'

'Cause I ain't got nothin' better to do!'

'Use proper English!' she retorted. 'Get up! I've got some leads and I want to talk to you! Meet me in the study!'

She left, leaving the door wide open. Ginny was standing in the hall just before the open door. She looked after Hermione for a while before turning to Ron. 

'What was that all about?'

'She's got _LEADS!_' Ron cried, falling over whilst struggling to get on a sock. 

'Where is she going?'

'_STUDY!_'

Ginny flew down the stairs, leaving her mangled brother in his room to dress.

***

'I looked up all I could on Dragon Riders!' Hermione started straight away. Fred and George had joined her, why Ron wasn't sure. They all sat as Hermione shuffled around to each of them, handing them scraps of parchment and what looked like pages torn from books. Ron smiled at her efforts and sudden lack of respect for literature. 'There are nine in all. Each of them riding a rather small beast that is shaped much like a dragon. It's hard to say, no one has every gotten close to one of the ruddy things! Anyway, raising them takes a great deal of power, time, patience, skill, and sacrifice.'

'What kind of sacrifice?'

'Human sacrifice.' Everyone shuddered save for Hermione who was too caught up in her work. 'One sacrifice to raise one Rider.'

'So he basically had to kill nine Death Eaters to get these guys here?' Ron asked.

'No.' Hermione stated. 'No not quite. The sacrifices do not have to be willing sacrifices. He could easily kidnap someone from the streets and spill their blood, and that would suffice to raise the Riders.'

'So anyone?' Ron repeated, swallowing hard. 

'Yes. Getting rid of them is another story. You need one sacrifice for one Rider again, but these _must_ be willing sacrifices. He could not simply toss _anyone_ in there.'

'So how is he going to get rid of them?' Ginny asked.

'I don't know.' Hermione whispered. 'Who would willing give up their life to cast these creatures back into the abyss from which they were originally imprisoned?'

None answered. 

'But what about Harry? If he wanted Harry this bad, he's got to have more planned than just killing him?' Ron asked.

'My thoughts exactly.' Hermione spoke, shifting through some haphazardly written notes she'd taken before her arrival. 'My thought is that Voldemort has something else planned, other than just killing Harry.'

'Like what?' Fred perked up from the boring lecture.

'Like perhaps taking his powers firsthand, then killing him later.'

All Weasley's were aware of what was happening now. 

'Can he do that?' George asked.

'I'm afraid so.' Hermione replied. 'And once the transfer is complete, he who gives over his power will die. For not only does he give his magical power and skill, but the very force that is his life.'

'Very dramatic, Hermione.' Fred smiled. 

'I'm quoting you dolt!' she spat. 'The moment Harry gives over his powers, he'll die.'

'You're making it sound as if Harry has to be willing to do so.' Ron stated with a raised eyebrow. 

'In a sense.'

'Well then what do we have to worry about?' Fred, George, and Ron sighed simultaneously. 

'She said _in a sense_!' Ginny pointed out to them. 'Meaning there is more to it than that.'

Ron looked up at his friend. 'Hermione?'

'If Harry refuses the transfer of power, he will die anyway.'

'How? That doesn't make sense?' George stated. 

'Because the fusion needs a certain piece of each individual before it can be complete and whole. A sacrifice of flesh, blood, bone, and heart.'

'Heart?' Ron swallowed hard.

'Yes. The hearts of the two individuals are magically retrieved and placed side by side. The incantations are made, and the transfusion begins. If Harry denies the fusion, he will die because the heart will not be able to live without the connection to either his body or the magical fusion to the other living heart.'

'So the incantations, the spell, or whatever, would have to start-'

'The _moment_ the hearts are released from the bodies.'

'And when would this need to take place?'

'On a full moon.'

Ron suddenly felt a surge of panic go through him. Remus was out tonight due to his lycanthropic disease.

'We're too late. Voldemort will try it tonight.' Ron hissed. 'We've lost.'

'No, we haven't.' Hermione came up. 

'How can you say that?' Ginny looked up at her. 

'Because, I know where he is.'


	17. A Daring Rescue

**__**

Author's Note: Wow! Over eighty reviews and counting! I thank you all dearly for your generous reviews and comments. Thanks also for the criticism, but please be aware that I am juggling 10 different stories at the moment. Some things I don't quite have the time to add in, and plus I wouldn't want to make the story too boring ;). Anyway, my humble thanks to all of you, but I must admit that I might torture you to get more reviews. **By that I mean waiting longer between updates**. Sorry, my turn to be greedy now! My goal is to have at least 1 story reach **100+ **reviews! I believe if I hold out, I might reach that with this story. :) Sorry for the cruelty, well, sort of sorry. *shrugs* Oh, by the way, the last chapter will have some Harry-Ginny mushy stuff (love) And even a kiss if I get all my reviews! ;) ~Eladriewen

****

A Daring Rescue

Harry watched with horror as his heart was pulled from his chest. The incantations were being spoken fluently and easily through the mouths of the Death Eaters. He was frozen to the ground not out of any spell, but by sheer shock and amazement at what was happening before him. Voldemort's heart sat beside his own, beating rhythmically, simultaneously with Harry's. 

'Amazing sight, isn't it Potter?' he hissed. It seemed wrong for either of them to be able to talk at this moment. Flesh cut, blood dripping, bone exposed, and hearts before them, Harry could say not a word. He wished that he had told Sirius he loved him like a father before this. That he had meant so much to Harry. He regretted not telling Ron how grateful he was to have him as a friend, and the same with Hermione. But most of all he regretted not ever trying to catch Ginny's heart. He knew she would willingly give it to him, but he had never tried to take it. Too afraid that he might break it, maybe. Maybe too afraid to find that he didn't really love her the way he thought he did. Maybe he was afraid to create another target in this never ending war he had been born into. Maybe that was all of it, maybe that was none of it. Now Harry regretted never trying to steal a kiss, never trying something stupid to catch her eye, never talking to her alone, never telling her how he felt. More than ever he wished he could hold her close and say that he loved her, and no matter what that would never change. He cursed himself for his foolishness, and spat at the concept of only having one chance at love. Damn it all. He'd failed miserably. Even if it condemned him to a premature death, Harry would not have his flesh, blood, bone, and heart fuse with this man's. Never.

'The last part of the ritual is to be completed, Potter.' Voldemort smiled cruelly. 'Now, all you must do is accept the fusion and you and I will merge as one. You won't have to die. You can live, and become powerful! We both need this! Too long have the both of us been dragged down by the expectations of others, our true powers made to hide within us. But now those powers have a chance to come out. We are both equally powerful, but together, we are indestructible!'

Harry smiled. 

'Go to hell.'

***

At that moment, the only door to the room burst open. Harry had been certain that it was protected by powerful spells, but those apparently had broken. He couldn't turn his head, but he recognized the voices. Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Moody, Tonks, Snape, and Dumbeldore. Someone called his name out in concern, but he was frozen to the spot. Dumbeldore was incanting something, and Voldemort fell to the ground, writhing and screaming, cursing him bitterly as he did so. 

The next moment Harry found himself falling to the floor. His body struggled to move, to act, to function, to breathe! His heart was gone, there was nothing to pump blood or oxygen through him. Within a few milliseconds he went still, too tired to carry on the battle. 

'DUMBELDORE!' He heard someone shout. His eyes trailed to a pale figure kneeling beside him, turning him over. He recognized it immediately as a teary eyed Sirius. 

'We're too late...we're too late' Harry heard him muttering. He didn't have the strength to assure his godfather he was still there. All Harry could do was stare back at him, trying to tell him through his eyes that he hadn't left yet. 'DUMBELDORE!' he screamed once more. Snape came up behind Sirius, something glowing in his hands. He pushed the man out of his way bitterly and rested his hand over Harry's chest. He muttered something and within a moment Harry could feel the blood start to flow through him again. He could feel the air relieve his brain and limbs, and the promising warmth of life flooded through him again.

***

Voldemort was up now, replenished as his own heart returned to him. He stepped out before Dumbeldore and brandished his want. With a wave of it, all fighting ceased. All eyes were upon the two ancients before them. 

'It seems we meet up again, Albus.'

'For the last time, Tom.'

'Don't sound so confident.' 

A blast of green light flooded the area. Sirius was kneeling over his godson, trying to offer what protection his body could give. Ron was shielding Hermione in a similar fashion. Snape stood in the shadows, waiting to pounce on his old 'employer'. Fred and George were beside their little brother, eyeing the battle with excitement and fear. Moody and Tonks were in another corner, ready to come as backup or, God forbid, a replacement to Dumbeldore so that the others could leave. Even as the two wizards did battle, Tonks was quickly ushering the others out. She came last to Snape and Sirius, the latter still holding Harry in his arms. 

'He isn't moving.' Sirius stated through a shaky voice. 'What's wrong?'

'Get him out.' Snape hissed bitterly. 'Can you carry him?' Sirius lifted the nineteen year old Harry in his arms, not easily, but it wasn't an impossible task. 'Get him out.' Snape repeated. He stepped before Sirius to offer as cover, then sent Tonks after him. Dumbeldore and Voldemort were still fighting. He watched with utmost hatred for the latter of the two, waiting for him to mess up, to retrieve the chance to kill the bastard.

Both were starting to fall into exhaustion. With a good strong forward thrust and a powerful curse, Voldemort knocked Dumbeldore to the ground where he stayed for more time than he should have. He then rounded on Moody, knocking the man down with a single curse. Snape faced Voldemort then, raising his wand high.

'You are a fool.' Voldemort hissed. 'Killing me won't bring your family back!'

Snape snarled, thrusting outward, but Voldemort easily caught the curse and threw it back at him, with a mere flick of his wrist. Snape spiraled into the wall, breathing heavily. 'And now I shall kill you.' Voldemort brought his wand up. 'Goodbye Severus.' But before he said the curse, before he brought his wand down to end the pathetic nuisance's life, a yellow spiral knocked Voldemort backward, hard into the opposite wall. 

Harry stepped through the threshold. Pale, shaking, but looking more determined than ever. 

'This was my battle, Potter.' Snape chided.

'And you were handling it marvelously, if I might say so!' Harry cocked a crooked grin and adorned a sly glimmer in his eyes, gesturing to Snape as if he were a true hero. He looked just like James, mocking Snape like that. 'Take it easy. Get them out of here and I'll let you two have your fun again.' Sneering, Snape moved to help Dumbeldore up. Then the both moved to assist Moody. Harry and Voldemort circled each other in the room. As Snape turned in the threshold, the battle between the two began. 

'_Expelliarmus!_' Harry cried.

'_Isolad!_' Voldemort hissed. 

The red and the yellow hit and deflected the other's attack. 

'_Anthera!_' 

'_Hithramir!_'

Again the attacks were parried. Then, in a brilliant move, Harry called one curse, a weak one which he knew Voldemort would instinctively parry. Then he whirled around on his heel and cast another, falling to one knee as he thrust out his wand. As Voldemort parried the first attack, he was taken off guard by the second which took him down at the kneecaps. Snape couldn't help but be impressed. 

Voldemort cursed and thrust his own want out, the blinding white light caught Harry across his left cheek, but he remained unaffected. 

'_Sadrielas!_' Harry roared. Voldemort was cast backward, his legs bent beneath him. He lie just at Snape's feet, here! Now! He could finish the bastard off. Now, right now, take the chance of being punished for using an Unforgivable, but he didn't care. Snape drew his wand and pointed it down at the man's head. 

'_Avada_-' but he was cut short. Voldemort had raised his wand and within a fraction of a second sent Snape to his knees. He wheezed from the pain, trying desperately to lock onto Voldemort with is eyes. '_Avada_-' he tried once more, but a hand grasped his shoulder. 

'No, Severus.' biting his lip out of sheer anger, he lowered his wand. A whisper and Voldemort was petrified. 'He will go immediately to Azkaban and then receive the Dementor's Kiss. You will not kill him.'

'It's no less than he deserves.' Snape hissed.

'Do not be so eager to deal out death and judgment, Severus. Not even the very wise can see all ends.'

Harry stood and took the Dark Wizard's wand. 

'Its over?'

Dumbeldore nodded, his hand still on Snape's shoulder. Harry smiled.

**__**

Author's Note: Their problems are over! Not the story! More to come!


	18. Friends

**__**

Author's Note: Well okay, I'm at 96, I guess I can be nice and give you guys another chapter. (smiles) I look forward to the last chapter's reviews. I worked real hard on that one, and its about Hermione/Ron, and Harry/Ginny. *winks* With a kiss between the latter pair, just like I promised. I love you all! Thank you for helping me reach my goal. 

****

Friends

'I owe you a thank you.' Harry smiled, embracing Hermione. 

'You owe me nothing.' she replied, accepting the hug with a smile. 'You would have done the same for any of us.'

'Still, it is all I can do for you right now.'

Hermione smiled, tears in her eyes. Ron pulled Harry into an embrace before he could react. 

'Not quite the way I'd pictured our reunion, but at least we got one!'

Harry smiled. 'True, true.'

Fred and George than came up behind him, each of them grabbing hold of his arms and planting a friendly kiss on his face. 

'Auck! God!' Harry yelled, wriggling from their grasp and making the most vile face any of them had ever seen. Everyone else was rolling around laughing, Ron's eyes brimming with tears as the twins kicked violently at the air. 'That wasn't funny!' 

'No, you're right! It was hilarious!' Fred bellowed. Harry rolled his eyes, wiping at his cheeks violently with the sleeves of his robes. 

'I'll never get rid of that feeling!' 

'Awww!' George chuckled. 'Harry didn't like his kissy-wissy?'

'Call it what you want, it was disgusting!'

Everyone was laughing, even Harry at that point.

'I can tell I was missed.'

'Do you need another for reassurance?' George smiled widely. Harry quickly put up his hands in defense. 

'NO! No, no I believe!'

Everyone laughed. 

'Good. No offense Harry but you don't taste too good!' Fred stated while acting as though he had just swallowed a bogie flavored Bertie Bott's Bean. 'We're going to go up and brush our teeth now, thanks!' The twins left the three in silence. 

'Well, its good to be back.' Harry sighed, resting his back against a chair.

'Good to have you back, mate.' Ron admitted with a smile.

'Indeed.'

Harry smiled, his eyes cast down at the ground.

'So, when do we start work?' Harry turned to Ron. 'From what I've heard you've not been doing much for the Ministry!' Ron nodded.

'We're working on that.' Hermione stated.

'I see.' Harry looked away. He could feel the tension between the two of them. He half wondered if Ron had purposed to Hermione yet. _Not likely_. Harry thought to himself. 'Well, did I miss anything?' he looked to Ron, signaling his thoughts exactly to his friend. Ron shook his head quickly before Hermione responded.

'No, what on earth could happen while _you're_ gone?'

All three of them laughed. 

'Well, what do you suppose we're off to now?' Ron asked. 'Voldemort's gone! We don't have any bad guys to chase after anymore!'

'We'll we've still got some death eaters to round up!' Hermione added with a hopeful thought. 

'True,' Ron answered. 'But its hardly the same.'

Harry smiled. 'I rather like the simplicity of it all now.'

Hermione and Ron both looked shocked. 

'Really?' they questioned simultaneously. 

'Well, think about it. None of you really had to suffer through guards or Order members stalking you through the summer, or a worrisome godfather...' he added in a quieter tone. 

They all laughed. 

'True. Yes I suppose you're relieved now that you'll hardly be getting so much special treatment as before.' Ron grinned. 

'Yeah, I wonder...what's it like to be a normal child?'

Hermione shook her head. Ron smiled.

'In all honesty, I forgot you after our first year at Hogwarts together mate.'

Harry laughed.

'I'm sorry.' 

'No, don't be!' Hermione said urgently. 'We're grateful!'

'What?' 

'Really, you've taught us a lot Harry. You're a great friend.'

Harry laughed once more. 'Wow, you have an awkward definition of friendship. I can't count how many times I've nearly gotten the both of you killed!'

'But not without endangering yourself as well.' Hermione pointed out. 'No matter what, you were always there to help us. We can't repay you for that Harry.' she smiled. 'You're a true friend.'

Harry smiled. Warmth filled him.

'You two are the best friends anyone could ask for.'

They all embraced, bumped heads, and fell down laughing. 

***

In the study of Grimmauld Place, Sirius sat and watched the flames in the fireplace flicker. Their dance was exotic, but he didn't notice. He listened as light footsteps came in and settled down in the chair beside him.

'I'm sorry.'

He looked up at his last remaining friend in the whole world and smiled.

'For what?'

'For not being there.' Remus sighed. 

Sirius shrugged. 'You couldn't help it.'

'I'm sorry. I should have been there.'

'There's nothing to be sorry for. Stop saying you're sorry. I won't forgive you. There' s nothing to forgive.'

'Someone could have been hurt. Someone could have died.'

'Well no one was hurt, no one died. You needn't worry. Harry is in the other room with Hermione and Ron, Fred and George are upstairs, Tonks is at work, Dumbeldore has been released from Mungo's and Moody is soon to follow him. You see me sitting before you, alive and whole, and you sit here and apologize for falling to an ailment that isn't your fault?'

'I'm sorry.'

Sirius sighed. 

'I never thought constant apologizing to be a terrible habit until now. Stop, Remus.'

Remus nodded his head. He stood to leave, but Sirius caught his robes as he passed the chair. 

'Sit.' he commanded.

'I have to go.'

'Very well.' Sirius stood, placing himself between his friend and the door. 'There is nothing to forgive. Don't bother running to Harry because he will tell you the same thing. If you insist on this behavior I will drag _you_ to a vet while in wolf form under the influence of Wolf's Bane and have _you_ neutered.'

Remus, tears in his eyes, laughed at the old joke they had shared since childhood. They embraced warmly as the fire died into embers.


	19. Family

**__**

Author's Note: YES!! _By my count this leaves me with **99** reviews! *Wipes tears away from her eyes* I LOVE YOU PEOPLE!!! Here's the next chapter just because I love you all!!!! THANK YOU!! I'm one away!! _

Just a note, I didn't have Harry kill Voldemort. *smiles meekly* I don't really like the idea of Harry being a murderer (even if Voldemort deserves it). Let's just leave it at he's in a heavily guarded, heavily spelled down jail cell, and his wand snapped with all the contents within grinded into a fine powder. :-D

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

****

Family

Sirius was sitting on the roof, looking up at the star that had given him his name. Beside it, twinkling brightly, was Harry's star. It flickered, though not in a communicative way. He wasn't surprised when Harry came crawling through the window to sit beside his godfather.

'Its nice out,' he stated, pulling his knees up and resting his elbows on them. 

'It is.' Sirius agreed. He smiled, sensing Harry's uneasiness at the bout of silence that followed. 

'Thank you.' he said suddenly. The gesture caught him off guard.

'Pardon?'

Harry looked away. 'Thank you.'

'For what?'

'For not running headlong into a wall to try to find me.'

'You mean for not getting myself killed?'

Harry nodded, which made Sirius laugh. 

'You're welcome.'

'And for coming to get me.'

'Well you should know better than to expect any less of me.'

Harry nodded once more. 

'I do. But, still.'

'Don't worry, Harry. Everything's all right now. Peter's been caught too, so within a few days my name will be cleared.'

Harry smiled. Wide. 

'That'll be fantastic!'

'I thought we could go somewhere really crowded where it would cause a lot of panic.'

Laughing, Harry shook his head. 'I'm not so sure that would be wise.'

'I know. It would be fun though.'

Harry thought. 'Hogsmeade?'

Sirius looked down at his godson, surprised. 'You're actually for this?'

'Well, I'm sure most people will know. But it would be interesting to see the looks on people's faces. Especially if I'm there with you.'

Sirius laughed heartily, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders. He thought on something, and knew himself to be a fool when thinking about it, but knew better than to leave the issue hanging. 

'Um, Harry?' he started after clearing his throat. 'I was wondering...I know that I have legal custody of you as your godfather but, I was wondering, if you'd be interested in...well...'

'In what?' 

'Well, if I adopted you as my son?'

'What?' Harry seemed rather shocked.

'Of course, I didn't think you'd want to, but I-'

'Are you kidding?' Somewhere, Sirius had heard that tone before. It had been six years ago when they had first met, when he had asked Harry if he'd wanted to live with him. He knew it was foolish to hope Harry's reaction would be the same for this situation. 'That would be great!'

Sirius eyes came up from the ground where he had cast them shamefully. 

'Really?'

'Yeah!' 

Both of them smiled, widely. Harry rested his head on Sirius' shoulder, barely able to contain his joy. He didn't worry about what people might think, he didn't care! He was finally going to have a dad! James Potter had been his birthfather, but Harry knew deep down that he would be okay with this. It would be better this way. His father would have approved of this.

***

Mrs. Weasley sat down with her son Ron and talked through most of the night. She'd worried about him throughout the entire ordeal of Harry's disappearance, but within these few days alone he'd recovered remarkably. 

'Mom, I want to ask you something.'

'What is it dear?' she leaned over the table and pat his hand. 

'I've been thinking and...well...Hermione and I...well....'

'Yes dear?'

'I want to purpose to her.' Whatever silence that had settled on the house soon shattered when Molly squealed in utter delight. Ron silenced her quickly. 'She doesn't know yet!'

'Oh!' Mrs. Weasley sighed. 'Well, let me know when she says yes!'

'_If_ she says yes.'

'Oh don't you be worrying darling, she will!'

Ron sighed. 'Right.'

***

When Harry had gone to bed, Sirius had run enthusiastically to Remus' room. He jumped on the bed as he and James used to do in their childhood days, shaking him hard. Remus had always been a hard one to wake. 

'Wha-what is it?' Remus rubbed his eyes. 'Sirius this had better be good. It's one o'clock!'

'Harry accepted it!!!' Sirius nearly shrieked in a whisper like voice. His heart beat rapidly at the excitement of finally telling someone. 

'Accepted what? Sirius what are you talking about? And get rid of that gleam in your eye, that always means your planning something devious! Don't laugh, I know you!'

But Sirius was laughing. 'You dolt! You've forgotten already? I asked Harry if he wanted me to adopt him!'

'OH!' Remus bolted up in his bed, suddenly quite awake. 'What did he say?'

'I told you! He's for it! He seemed happy about it, even!'

Remus smiled gently. 'Well of course he was.'

'I was nervous though, that he wouldn't...like it would upset James or something...or his memory...what a foolish thing to say...' 

Shaking his head, Remus sat beside Sirius upon his bed. 

'Not at all. I think James would have preferred it this way. He knows you'll take care of Harry. Harry knows that James would not disprove. You're doing the right thing.'

'You think so?'

Remus nodded. 'Now for God's sake go get some sleep!'

Sirius nodded, leaving the room. Remus shook his head and fell back onto the bed, smiling. After all of this, the both of them deserved some happiness.


	20. Love

**__**

OMG I LOVE YOU ALL!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! *HUGS AND KISSES* HERE IT IS! JUST WHAT I PROMISED!!! [ slightly more calm] I'LL THINK ABOUT THAT NEXT GENERATION OF MARAUDER'S STORY TOO...I LIKE THAT IDEA!!! THANK YOU ALL! 

Love

'You needed something, Ron?' Hermione stepped into the boy's bedroom. Harry wasn't there. 

'Yes!' he perked up at her appearance. 'Yes there's something I want to talk to you about.'

She sat beside him, her eyes keen on his. 'Very well.'

'Hermione, we've known each other for a long time, right?' she nodded, a sweet smile on her face. 'And we've been seeing each other for, about two years now, right?' again she nodded, that smile never fading. 'You know I love you, I'd do anything for you.'

'And I you,' she replied.

Ron nodded. His heart was starting to beat spasmodically to the point where he feared it might fly out of his chest. His hands were shaking and surely sweating. Harry always told him his hands sweat unnaturally. Now he realized how much his friend was right. 'Ron, are you all right?' he looked up into Hermione's knowledgeable brown eyes, they were full of concern, and held a slight hint of expectation. 

'Yes, yes.' he smiled, 'never better.'

She raised her head a bit, as if to look over him. But her eyes never left his. 'Is that all you needed?'

A sharp intake of breath. 'Um...yeah.' 

Hermione raised an eyebrow. 'Very well then.' she stood and moved to leave the room. She had succeeded in making it half way to the door when Ron spoke again.

'Wait!' he nearly cried out, his voice sounded urgent. 

Here it was. Ron fingered the small box in his pocket and sighed. Here it came, the denial that would scar him for life, for a thousand life times. Best to get it over with now, he thought. 

'Hermione,' he took her hand and kneeled down. He pulled out the box and showed her the ring. He wasn't conscious of the eight pairs of eyes peaking through the doorway to get a good look. 'Will you marry me?'

Molly Weasley's squeals were barely contained by her husband who had to slip his hand over her mouth. Harry's eyes were intent on Ron's face, he'd never seen such an expression like that before. Sirius and Remus smiled warmly, remembering listening in on another proposal some years ago and noticing the similarities between the two. Ginny was biting on her fingernails beside Harry, her eyes watering over like her mothers. In all this stunned silence, all nearly cried out in joy upon hearing Hermione's response. 

'Yes!'

Mrs. Weasley shot through the door, too strong for her husband's grasp. She pulled Hermione into a huge hug that might have bruised a few of her ribs. Harry moved to Ron, patting him on the back. 

'Wasn't that bad now, was it?' 

Ron looked as though he'd been petrified. Harry could only laugh and wrap an arm around his friend's shoulders. 

'So, when's the bachelor party?' Sirius grinned evilly. 

'Oh no!' Remus shook his head. Ron gulped as Harry laughed. 

***

Harry was alone on the roof for some time before he was at last joined by Ginny.

'Quite a turn of events, don't you think?' she asked, sitting next to him without hesitation. 

'Oh yeah.' Harry smiled. 'I rather like it myself.'

'Mum's all overjoyed about it.' Ginny laughed. 

'She has a right to be.' Harry admitted. 

'Oh yes but, its just funny to see her like this.'

Harry had to chuckle. The site of Mrs. Weasley lately was quite humorous. Even the yelling had stopped. 'Yeah, that's true.'

Ginny's face suddenly went serious, and Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye. He swallowed hard, praying that no one was watching _them_. 

'Hermione joked at me today, she asked when _we_ were getting engaged.'

Harry might have choked on the very air he was breathing. 'Wha-?' he staggered. 

Ginny looked away, suddenly looking ashamed. 'Silly, isn't it?' 

Biting his lip, Harry cursed himself once more for being so terrible about the opposite sex. 'I don't know.' Harry admitted. Ginny looked up at him, rather shocked and seeming jovial all the same. She personally believed she might explode. 

'What?'

Harry sighed, but not out of frustration. It was more out on contentment. He scooted closer to her and put at arm around her shoulders. There was a long moment of silence before either of them said anything.

'I've been waiting for you to do that for a long time.' she stated weakly. The stars were perfect, the moon was perfect, everything for her was now perfect. If she died right here, she could claim happiness. 

'Really?' Harry asked, suddenly feeling quite nervous. Ginny nodded. 'I never thought you'd let me.' he admitted. 

'I never thought you'd try.' She rested her head on his shoulder, and he rested his atop hers. 'It's a beautiful night.'

'It is.'

There was another bout of silence. But this time Ginny wasn't nervous. It was a relaxed silence. She found she was still trembling, but she didn't mind. Harry was too, which made everything a lot easier. She heard her mother from downstairs. 

'Ginny, time to get ready for bed!' 

She sighed. 

'Eighteen and she still treats me like I'm eight.'

Harry laughed, but watched sadly as she started to leave.

'You've grown up.' he stated.

Ginny turned, eyeing him curiously.

'What?'

'I mean...' he suddenly felt rather stupid. 'Never mind.'

Ginny smiled and moved closer to him. Harry turned and did the same, and for one brief moment their lips touched. Then they kissed. 

It was poetic! Ginny felt everything melt delightfully inside of her, and she wished that she could freeze that feeling for eternity. It was gentle and yet very much alive with passion, a simple taste of what the other had been holding back for so many years. It was in that second alone that the other first felt how much the other loved them. An electric pulse ran through each of their spine's and into their brains, the electric pulse that magically tells you that this person right here is the one you're meant to spend the rest of your life with. 

They pulled apart, smiling.

'Goodnight.' Harry whispered.

'Goodnight.'

Ginny slipped through the window, moving to her room. A girlish bounce was in her step that only Hermione noticed for what it truly was. Before a word was said Hermione embraced Ginny and congratulated her. 

'He's the one!' Ginny admitted after telling Hermione all about it. 'I know it!'

***

Outside on the roof once more, Ron sat beside Harry. 

'I'd rather it be you, Harry.' Ron admitted. 'I know you'll take care of her.'

'Thanks, mate.'

'Oh, one more thing.' Ron stated before slipping inside. 

'Yeah?'

'I wouldn't be too quick to come inside.'

'Why?'

'Cause everyone was watching.'

'WHAT!?!' Harry bellowed. 

Ron laughed, then screamed in a very high pitched tone as Harry chased him around the roof, diving through the window to catch him. 

He could hear heavy laughter downstairs upon his own yelling and blushed crimson red. 

'Sorry, mate. I had to get you back somehow!'

Harry rolled his eyes and tackled Ron to the floor.

'You wait till your wedding night, I'll get you back good!' 

They both laughed.

Somewhere downstairs someone went 'Oh boy!'

**__**

The End


End file.
